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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Behavior Over Time Graph |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture Views and Beyond |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | A Behavior Over Time Graph shows how a metric or observation develops over time. The method makes trends, breaks, and recurring patterns visible that get lost in snapshots. | 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. | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 1-2 Tage | 1-3 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 1-4 | 1-4 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Behavior Over Time Graph, Trend Hypotheses, Key Events | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingPatternsDynamics | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture |