methodatlas
Compare

View methods side by side.

Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.

Criterion
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Mad Sad Glad
Agile
Mad Sad Glad
Paper illustration for Alignment Mapping.
Facilitation
Alignment Mapping
A structured reflection surfaces what was liked, learned, lacked, and longed for. It is a conversation format and does not validate actions automatically.
Agile
4Ls Retrospective
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 a team's or workshop's mood needs to become readable, it structures emotional signals with little setup. It makes strain, relief, and sources of energy tangible.When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable.When a sprint should not only be assessed but also learned from, it captures experience in clear learning categories. It records what worked, what's missing, and what should run differently next time.
Complexitydifferent
HighLowMediumLow
Timedifferent
Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope30-60 min1-2 h45–75 min
Participantsdifferent
Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders3-104-12Team members involved
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 investigationsEmotion Board, Themes, Action ItemsAlignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions4Ls Board, Learning Themes, Improvement Actions
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
RetrospectiveTeamReflection
AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation
RetrospectiveLearningReflectionTeam
Add more methods