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Selected:ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Expectation MappingArchitecture Communication CanvasLASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)
| Criterion | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) | ![]() Facilitation Expectation Mapping | ![]() Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas | ![]() Architecture LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. | LASR helps development teams identify where their software falls short of important quality goals and which improvements to consider. A small group with existing system knowledge can make an initial assessment and investigate open questions in more detail. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 45-90 min | 60-120 min | 3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional |
Participantsdifferent | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-12 | 2-8 | 1 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | 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 | Expectation Map, Alignment Notes, Agreements | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan | Lean Mission Statement describing the software’s purpose, Prioritized quality goals and evaluation criteria, Risks and estimated gaps against quality goals, More closely examined findings and open checks |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | AlignmentStakeholdersTeam | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas | ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean |



