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Selected:Dot EstimationArchitecture Decision RecordFishbone DiagramATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
| Criterion |  Facilitation Dot Estimation |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When size or effort can only be estimated roughly, Dot Estimation condenses the group's experience into a quick range. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as an Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, and Discussion Targets. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | When a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 5-20 min | 15-45 min | 30-60 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 | 1-3 | 2-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, Discussion Targets | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations |
Tagsno overlap | EstimationEffortRisk | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | Root causeQualityOperations | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |