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Selected:Fishbone DiagramSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Value Chain AnalysisBusiness Model Stress Test
| Criterion |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Business Strategy Value Chain Analysis |  Business Strategy Business Model Stress Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | SAAM helps teams judge an architecture’s suitability for selected tasks and changes. It is particularly useful for examining modifiability and comparing architecture alternatives with clear reasoning. | Value Chain Analysis shows where value is created, costs accrue, and differentiation becomes possible along the process. It compares strengths, risks, market logic, and courses of action. The result is captured as a value-chain map and lever list. | A Business Model Stress Test checks how well a business model holds up under pressure and headwinds. It compares strengths, risks, market logic, and courses of action. The result is captured as a stress-test report and action plan per scenario. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | High | High |
Timedifferent | 30-60 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | Half day | Half day |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-8 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Domain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternatives | Value Chain Map, Lever List | Stress Test Report, Action Plan per Scenario |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeQualityOperations | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | StrategyBusiness modelDiagnosisAnalysis | StrategyBusiness modelRiskDiagnosis |