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| Criterion |  Operations Barrier Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. | 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 problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | 15-30 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 2-6 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeSafetyIncident | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |