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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | A Causal Loop Diagram makes feedback, reinforcement, and balance in a system legible. It uncovers side effects and self-reinforcement that stay hidden in linear explanations. | 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. | A Current Reality Tree condenses many symptoms into a few causal chains. The method makes visible which core problems drive several negative effects at once. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points | 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 | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality |
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