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Selected:Dot EstimationATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Alignment MappingPower Interest Grid
| Criterion |  Facilitation Dot Estimation |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Facilitation Power Interest Grid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. | When many stakeholders compete for attention at once, the Power Interest Grid sorts them by influence and stake. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as a Power Interest Grid and a stakeholder-specific strategy. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 5-20 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 1-2 h | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 4-12 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, Discussion Targets | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Power Interest Grid, Strategy per Stakeholder |
Tagsno overlap | EstimationEffortRisk | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | StakeholdersFacilitationAlignmentPlanning |