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Selected:Constraint AnalysisSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Decision TreeChange Analysis
| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Operations Change 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. | 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. | For decisions with follow-on paths and dependencies, a linear comparison is often not enough. A Decision Tree shows how options branch under conditions and which consequences hang on each branch. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 30-90 min | 45-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 1-6 | 2-6 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
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 Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | DecisionTreeOptions | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison |