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Criterion
Paper fishbone diagram with a measurable effect at the head and six labeled cause branches.
Operations
Fishbone Diagram
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for 8D Problem Solving.
Operations
8D Problem Solving
Paper illustration for Root Cause Analysis.
Operations
Root Cause Analysis
Purposedifferent
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.For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly.When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another.
Complexitydifferent
LowHighHighMedium
Timedifferent
30-60 minSeveral meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope1-6 Wochen1-4 h
Participantsdifferent
2-8Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders4-103-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation BacklogPrioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action PlanProblem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan
Tags1 shared
Root causeQualityOperations
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
QualityProblem solvingRoot cause
Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident
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