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Selected:Design ThinkingATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Architecture Communication Canvasarc42
| Criterion | ![]() Innovation Design Thinking | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) | ![]() Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas | ![]() Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For complex user problems with an uncertain cause, the method connects observation, interpretation, and experiment into a learning cycle. It keeps the focus on real needs and avoids premature solution language. This produces robust decisions for product and service. | 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. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 60-120 min | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 2-8 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | InnovationPrototypeResearch | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |



