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Selected:Assumption SurfacingATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Decision Rights MappingDACI
| Criterion |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Decision Rights Mapping |  Decision Making DACI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | 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. | In organizations with many stakeholders, it often blurs who actually decides and who is merely consulted. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Decision Rights matrix and an agreement. | In cross-functional decisions, responsibilities quickly blur between approval, influence, and execution. DACI arranges these roles so decision pressure, contribution, and information stay cleanly separated. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 90-180 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 4-12 | 2-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Decision Rights Matrix, Agreement | DACI Matrix, Decision Owner, Decision Log |
Tagsno overlap | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility | DecisionRolesGovernanceAlignment |