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Selected:Constraint AnalysisSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Decision Framing WorkshopArchitecture Inception Canvas
| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Decision Framing Workshop |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | When a decision is poorly framed, even good answers deliver little value. A Decision Framing Workshop sharpens the problem, goal, and boundaries before the actual weighing begins. | The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 60-120 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 4-10 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Domain 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 | Decision Frame, Decision Question, Criteria List, Evidence Plan | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Decision framingAlignmentCriteriaOptions | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas |