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Selected:ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Design ThinkingArchitecture Inception CanvasSoftware Architecture Canvas
| Criterion |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Innovation Design Thinking |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | For complex user problems with an uncertain cause, the method connects observation, interpretation, and experiment into a learning cycle. It keeps the focus on real needs and avoids premature solution language. This produces robust decisions for product and service. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | 1-2 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 4-10 | 3-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | 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 | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | InnovationPrototypeResearch | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop |