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Selected:ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Delphi MethodWideband DelphiAssumption Surfacing
| Criterion |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Delphi Method |  Decision Making Wideband Delphi |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 knowledge is distributed and direct dominance should be avoided, groups quickly fall under the sway of their opinion leaders. The Delphi Method gathers assessments iteratively and gradually brings expert judgments closer together. | A single opinion rarely holds up for planning when the future is genuinely uncertain. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as an Estimate Range, Assumption Log, and Expert Consensus Notes. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | High | Low |
Timedifferent | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 1-4 Wochen | 1-4 h or multiple rounds | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 6-30 Experten | 4-12 Experten | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | 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 | Expert Forecast, Consensus Range, Assumption Notes | Estimate Range, Assumption Log, Expert Consensus Notes | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | ForecastingExpertsDecisionStrategy | EstimationExpertsForecasting | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery |