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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
Gemba Walk workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
Gemba Walk
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.When there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions.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
HighHighLowLow
Timedifferent
Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope2-6 h30-120 min30-60 min
Participantsdifferent
Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders3-102-62-8
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshopWorkshop
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 ActionsObservation Notes, Improvement IdeasFishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause
LeanObservationProcessOperations
Root causeQualityOperations
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