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Criterion
Paper illustration for Change Analysis.
Operations
Change Analysis
Paper illustration of Request for Comments (RFC) with its method-specific working model.
Architecture
Request for Comments
Paper illustration for Communication Plan
Delivery
Communication Plan
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.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.When many people need to be informed in parallel and messages would otherwise arrive unevenly or too late, a Communication Plan orders communication reliably. Channels, audiences, and cadences interlock so important information doesn't get lost.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
MediumMediumLowHigh
Timedifferent
45-120 min1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung45-90 minPreparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope
Participantsdifferent
2-63-20 Reviewer2-6Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncAsyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action ListRFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or ticketsCommunication Plan, Channel Matrix, Message CadenceDomain 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
ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance
CommunicationStakeholdersDeliveryPlanning
ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality
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