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Selected:Decision TreeATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Assumption SurfacingArchitecture Communication Canvas
| Criterion |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For decisions with follow-on paths and dependencies, a linear comparison is often not enough. A Decision Tree shows how options branch under conditions and which consequences hang on each branch. | 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. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 45-90 min | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-6 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan |
Tagsno overlap | DecisionTreeOptions | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas |