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Selected:Failure Mode and Effects AnalysisArchitecture Decision RecordBarrier AnalysisFault Tree Analysis
| Criterion | ![]() Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis | ![]() Architecture Architecture Decision Record | ![]() Operations Barrier Analysis | ![]() Operations Fault Tree Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. | For a critical top event with several possible triggers, the method logically models failure paths. It makes visible which combinations of conditions can lead to damage. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 15-45 min | 2-4 h | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 1-3 | 2-6 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | Fault Tree, Critical Paths, Cause Hypotheses, Control Actions |
Tagsno overlap | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | Root causeSafetyIncident | RiskRoot causeSafety |



