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Selected:Constraint AnalysisATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Assumption SurfacingTrade-off Analysis
| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Decision Making Trade-off Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | 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. | With limited resources, quality, speed, cost, and risk almost always compete with each other. Trade-off Analysis makes these tensions explicit and prevents decisions from producing hidden side effects. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 45-90 min | 45-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | 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 | Trade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions |