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Selected:Competency QuestionsATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)arc42Architecture Communication Canvas
| Criterion | ![]() Knowledge Modeling Competency Questions | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) | ![]() Architecture arc42 | ![]() Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Competency Questions translate a domain model into concrete questions that it must be able to answer. The method keeps the model's scope clean and prevents pretty but useless structures. | 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. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 1-2 Tage | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 1-4 | 2-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Competency Question Set, Required Concepts, Test Queries, Coverage Matrix | 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 | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan |
Tagsno overlap | OntologyKnowledge graphScopeRequirementsSemantic | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas |



