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Criterion
Paper illustration of a decision table with criteria rows, weighted ratings, and a narrowly leading alternative.
Decision Making
Decision Matrix
Paper illustration with architecture components and concrete change tasks for comparison.
Architecture
SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Kepner-Tregoe
Operations
Kepner-Tregoe
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.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
MediumHighHigh
Timedifferent
45-90 minPreparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope2-8 h
Participantsdifferent
2-8Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting2-8
Formatsame
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected OptionDomain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternativesProblem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan
Tagsno overlap
DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs
ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality
Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations
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Paper illustration for 8D Problem Solving.
Operations
8D Problem Solving
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 illustration for Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Operations
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis