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Selected:ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Soft Systems MethodologyStakeholder Salience ModelAlignment Mapping
| Criterion |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology |  Facilitation Stakeholder Salience Model |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Soft Systems Methodology helps explore unclear or politically charged problems systematically. Instead of forcing a quick answer, the method builds a shared understanding of perspectives and room for action. | When stakeholders appear to matter very differently, the Stakeholder Salience Model rates their actual priority through power, legitimacy, and urgency. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as a Salience diagram and a class-based strategy. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 0.5-3 Tage | 60-90 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 5-15 | 3-6 | 4-12 |
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 | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | Salience Diagram, Strategy per Class | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | StakeholdersFacilitationAlignmentGovernance | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |