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Criterion
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Operations
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Architecture Communication Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Architecture Communication Canvas
Paper fishbone diagram with a measurable effect at the head and six labeled cause branches.
Operations
Fishbone Diagram
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 a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability.The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design.When a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers.
Complexitydifferent
HighHighMediumLow
Timedifferent
Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope2-6 h60-120 min30-60 min
Participantsdifferent
Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders3-102-82-8
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigationsFMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation ActionsCommunication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication PlanFishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause
ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas
Root causeQualityOperations
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