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Selected:Causal Loop DiagramSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Root Cause AnalysisChange Analysis
| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Operations Change Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | For a deviation after a change, the method isolates the influence of the altered condition. It narrows down which differences are relevant and which are just accompanying noise. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 1-4 h | 45-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
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 | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List |
Tagsno overlap | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison |