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Selected:ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Architecture Decision RecordFailure Mode and Effects Analysis
| Criterion |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | High |
Timedifferent | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 15-45 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 1-3 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |
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