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Criterion
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Views and Beyond method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Views and Beyond
Paper illustration for Knowledge Mapping.
Knowledge Modeling
Knowledge Mapping
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
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.Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question.Knowledge Mapping makes knowledge, gaps, and transfer paths visible across a field. It fits when expertise should not just exist but also be findable and transferable.An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable.
Complexitydifferent
HighMediumMediumLow
Timedifferent
Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope1-3 Tage1-3 h15-45 min
Participantsdifferent
Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders1-43-121-3
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshopAsync
Outputdifferent
Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigationsArchitecture Views, Cross-view Notes, RationaleKnowledge Map, Critical Knowledge Areas, Transfer PlanADR File, Decision Log, Rationale
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture
KnowledgeMappingRisk
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
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