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Criterion
Paper illustration for Change Analysis.
Operations
Change Analysis
Paper illustration for Argument Mapping
Decision Making
Argument Mapping
Paper illustration of Request for Comments (RFC) with its method-specific working model.
Architecture
Request for Comments
Paper illustration with architecture components and concrete change tasks for comparison.
Architecture
SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
Purposedifferent
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.When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on.An RFC clarifies architecture context, options, and consequences. It structures technical context, alternatives, tradeoffs, open questions, and review feedback, and captures the result as an RFC document, reviewer comments, and a decision rationale.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.
Complexitydifferent
MediumMediumMediumHigh
Timedifferent
45-120 min1-3 h1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur EntscheidungPreparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope
Participantsdifferent
2-61-83-20 ReviewerArchitecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncAsyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action ListArgument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision RationaleRFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or ticketsDomain 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
Tagsno overlap
ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison
SensemakingDecisionRationale
ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance
ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality
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