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Selected:ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Communication PlanSoftware Architecture CanvasPower Interest Grid
| Criterion | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) | ![]() Delivery Communication Plan | ![]() Architecture Software Architecture Canvas | ![]() Facilitation Power Interest Grid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When many people need to be informed in parallel and messages would otherwise arrive unevenly or too late, a Communication Plan orders communication reliably. Channels, audiences, and cadences interlock so important information doesn't get lost. | 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. | When many stakeholders compete for attention at once, the Power Interest Grid sorts them by influence and stake. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as a Power Interest Grid and a stakeholder-specific strategy. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 45-90 min | 1-2 h | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 2-6 | 3-10 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | 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 | Communication Plan, Channel Matrix, Message Cadence | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Power Interest Grid, Strategy per Stakeholder |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | CommunicationStakeholdersDeliveryPlanning | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | StakeholdersFacilitationAlignmentPlanning |



