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| Criterion |  Decision Making Argument Mapping |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on. | 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. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 2-5 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | SensemakingDecisionRationale | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.
