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Selected:Force Field AnalysisTrade-off AnalysisSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Option Framing
| Criterion |  Decision Making Force Field Analysis |  Decision Making Trade-off Analysis |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Option Framing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | In change initiatives, supporting and restraining forces sit at the table at the same time. Force Field Analysis makes these tensions explicit and shows where change can be pushed forward by strengthening or relieving. | 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. | 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. | In early decisions, alternatives are often still vague, incomplete, or blended together. Option Framing brings every possibility into a comparable form and makes visible which variant actually fits the question. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 45-120 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 45-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 2-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Force Field Map, Change Levers, Risk Notes | Trade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides | 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 | Option Frames, Assumption Notes, Comparable Shortlist, Decision Inputs |
Tagsno overlap | ChangeDecisionStrategy | TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | OptionsDecision framingStrategyComparison |