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Criterion
Paper illustration of Double Diamond with its method-specific working model.
Innovation
Double Diamond
Paper illustration for Trade-off Analysis.
Decision Making
Trade-off Analysis
A hypothetical failure makes concrete risks, signals, and fitting mitigations visible.
Decision Making
Pre-Mortem
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Purposedifferent
For complex problems with a fuzzy situation, the method cleanly separates search space and decision. It first creates breadth in understanding and then focus in elaboration. This brings open questions, problem definition, and solution path into a traceable movement.With limited resources, quality, speed, cost, and risk almost always compete with each other. Trade-off Analysis makes these tensions explicit and prevents decisions from producing hidden side effects.In early initiatives with many uncertainties, planning quickly turns too optimistic. A pre-mortem makes the expected failure visible in advance and sharpens the view of causes, gaps, and countermeasures.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
MediumMediumLowHigh
Timedifferent
Wochen bis Monate45-120 min20–45 minSeveral meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope
Participantsdifferent
3-122-8Small cross-functional groupEvaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Problem Statement, Solution Options, Prototypes, Deliverables per PhaseTrade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted DownsidesRisk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption logPrioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations
Tagsno overlap
ProcessDivergenceInnovation
TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions
RiskDecisionFailurePlanning
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
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