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Criterion
Paper illustration for Expectation Mapping.
Facilitation
Expectation Mapping
Paper illustration for Decision Framing Workshop.
Decision Making
Decision Framing Workshop
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Trade-off Analysis.
Decision Making
Trade-off Analysis
Purposedifferent
When roles, interfaces, or projects fail because of differing expectations, Expectation Mapping surfaces these differences. It shows what each side takes for granted and where the pictures diverge.When a decision is poorly framed, even good answers deliver little value. A Decision Framing Workshop sharpens the problem, goal, and boundaries before the actual weighing begins.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.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.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumHighMedium
Timedifferent
45-90 min60-120 minSeveral meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope45-120 min
Participantsdifferent
3-124-10Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders2-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Expectation Map, Alignment Notes, AgreementsDecision Frame, Decision Question, Criteria List, Evidence PlanPrioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigationsTrade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides
Tagsno overlap
AlignmentStakeholdersTeam
Decision framingAlignmentCriteriaOptions
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions
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