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Selected:Barrier AnalysisSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Family Tree AnalysisRoot Cause Analysis
| Criterion |  Operations Barrier Analysis |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Operations Family Tree Analysis |  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. | SAAM helps teams judge an architecture’s suitability for selected tasks and changes. It is particularly useful for examining modifiability and comparing architecture alternatives with clear reasoning. | For a series of incidents with a similar pattern, the method arranges individual events as branches of a common origin. It makes visible which conditions keep recurring. | 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 | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 2-4 h | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-6 | 3-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | Domain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternatives | Family Tree Diagram, Pattern Notes, Systemic Measures | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeSafetyIncident | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Root causePatternsIncidentSystemic | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |