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Selected:Future Reality TreeATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Evaporating CloudAssumption Mapping
| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Future Reality Tree |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Systems Thinking Evaporating Cloud |  Product Discovery Assumption Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | A Future Reality Tree shows how desired actions are meant to lead to a better system state. The method checks whether a path of change holds together logically before time flows into implementation. | 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. | The method makes visible why two seemingly incompatible demands arise and which assumption must be tested to resolve the conflict. | When assumptions still sit unordered in the room, it weighs uncertainty against leverage. It makes visible which hypotheses should be checked first. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 60-120 min | 45-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Future Reality Tree, Negative Branches, Assumption List, Improved Injections | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Conflict Cloud, Assumption List, Breakthrough Ideas, Next Experiments | Assumption map, Test backlog, Risk ranking |
Tagsno overlap | Theory of ConstraintsSystems thinkingChange | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | Theory of ConstraintsAssumptionsSystems thinking | AssumptionsRiskExperimentsValidation |