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Selected:Fishbone DiagramC4 ModelATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
| Criterion |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects 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. | The C4 Model makes a system legible across several resolution levels, from context down to code. It suits situations where different audiences need to understand the same architecture from different altitudes. | 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 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 | Low | High | High |
Timedifferent | 30-60 min | 1-4 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 1-5 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeQualityOperations | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |