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Criterion
Paper illustration of the Lightning Decision Jam working structure.
Facilitation
Decision Jam
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Operations
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Paper illustration for Kepner-Tregoe
Operations
Kepner-Tregoe
Purposedifferent
When a decision is stuck, Decision Jam loosens the knot through structured separation of problem, idea, and selection. The format creates movement without jumping prematurely at the first seemingly elegant answer.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.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.For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations.
Complexitydifferent
LowHighHighHigh
Timedifferent
60-90 minSeveral meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope2-6 h2-8 h
Participantsdifferent
4-10Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders3-102-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Problem Cluster, Prioritized Challenge, ExperimentPrioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigationsFMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation ActionsProblem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan
Tagsno overlap
FacilitationDecisionProblem solvingWorkshop
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause
Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations
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