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Selected:Dot EstimationATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Ideal DaysFailure Mode and Effects Analysis
| Criterion |  Facilitation Dot Estimation |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Agile Ideal Days |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 effort needs to be thought of as real working time, it offers a simple common denominator for comparison. It sorts work by value, risk, and delivery ability. The result is captured as Ideal Day Estimates, Assumption Notes, and Capacity Caveats. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 5-20 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 15-60 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 2-9 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | 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 | Ideal Day Estimates, Assumption Notes, Capacity Caveats | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | EstimationEffortRisk | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | EstimationEffortAgile | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |