View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
Selected:Decision MatrixSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Alignment MappingForce Field Analysis
| Criterion |  Decision Making Decision Matrix |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Decision Making Force Field Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When several options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared 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. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. | In change initiatives, supporting and restraining forces sit at the table at the same time. Force Field Analysis makes these tensions explicit and shows where change can be pushed forward by strengthening or relieving. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 1-2 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 4-12 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected Option | 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 | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Force Field Map, Change Levers, Risk Notes |
Tagsno overlap | DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | ChangeDecisionStrategy |