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Selected:Contradiction AnalysisRoot Cause AnalysisChange AnalysisSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
| Criterion |  Innovation Contradiction Analysis |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Operations Change Analysis |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a system should improve while another measure suffers as a result, the method makes the underlying conflict precisely formulable. It separates the desired effect from its side effect. This makes solutions possible that address the contradiction deliberately instead of half-heartedly. | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 60-120 min | 1-4 h | 45-120 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-8 | 2-6 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Contradiction Statement, Abstraction Notes, Solution Principles, Concept Ideas | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List | 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 |
Tagsno overlap | ContradictionsInnovationProblem solving | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality |