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| Criterion | ![]() Knowledge Modeling Competency Questions | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) | ![]() Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 2-8 |
Formatsame | 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 | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan |
Tagsno overlap | OntologyKnowledge graphScopeRequirementsSemantic | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery |
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