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Selected:ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Architecture Inception CanvasAssumption Mapping
| Criterion | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) | ![]() Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas | ![]() Product Discovery Assumption Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 1-2 h | 45-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Assumption map, Test backlog, Risk ranking |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | AssumptionsRiskExperimentsValidation |
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