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Selected:Architecture Inception CanvasAssumption MappingATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Risk Storming
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |  Product Discovery Assumption Mapping |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Architecture Risk Storming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails. | When assumptions still sit unordered in the room, it weighs uncertainty against leverage. It makes visible which hypotheses should be checked first. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | Helps clarify architecture context, options, and consequences in concrete terms. It organizes technical context, alternatives, and consequences. The result is captured as an Annotated Diagram, a Prioritized Risk List, and an Action Backlog. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 45-60 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 60-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Assumption map, Test backlog, Risk ranking | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Annotated Diagram, Prioritized Risk List, Action Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | AssumptionsRiskExperimentsValidation | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | RiskArchitectureWorkshopValidation |