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Selected:ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Decision Rights MappingExpectation MappingRequest for Comments
| Criterion |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Decision Rights Mapping |  Facilitation Expectation Mapping |  Architecture Request for Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | When roles, interfaces, or projects fail because of differing expectations, Expectation Mapping surfaces these differences. It shows what each side takes for granted and where the pictures diverge. | An RFC clarifies architecture context, options, and consequences. It structures technical context, alternatives, tradeoffs, open questions, and review feedback, and captures the result as an RFC document, reviewer comments, and a decision rationale. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 90-180 min | 45-90 min | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung |
Participantsdifferent | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 4-12 | 3-12 | 3-20 Reviewer |
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 | Decision Rights Matrix, Agreement | Expectation Map, Alignment Notes, Agreements | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility | AlignmentStakeholdersTeam | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance |