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Criterion
Paper illustration for Cynefin Workshop.
Decision Making
Cynefin Workshop
Paper illustration with architecture components and concrete change tasks for comparison.
Architecture
SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Operations
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Purposedifferent
When problems are unclear, chaotic, or only seemingly familiar, standard recipes fall short. A Cynefin Workshop sorts situations by the nature of their problem and connects them with matching action logic.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 a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability.
Complexitydifferent
MediumHighHigh
Timedifferent
60-180 minPreparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope2-6 h
Participantsdifferent
4-20Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting3-10
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Cynefin Map, Domain-specific Actions, Sensemaking NotesDomain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternativesFMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions
Tagsno overlap
ComplexitySensemakingDecision
ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality
RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Change Analysis.
Operations
Change Analysis
Paper fishbone diagram with a measurable effect at the head and six labeled cause branches.
Operations
Fishbone Diagram
Paper illustration for Kepner-Tregoe
Operations
Kepner-Tregoe