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Selected:Assumption SurfacingATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Software Architecture CanvasRisk Storming
| Criterion |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  Architecture Risk Storming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | The Software Architecture Canvas reduces a system to the most important architecture decisions, constraints, and interfaces. It is useful when teams need a resilient overall picture quickly. | 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 | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 1-2 h | 60-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-10 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
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 | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Annotated Diagram, Prioritized Risk List, Action Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | RiskArchitectureWorkshopValidation |