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Selected:GAP AnalysisGIST PlanningATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
| Criterion |  Business Strategy GAP Analysis |  Product Strategy GIST Planning |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | GAP Analysis compares the current state with a target picture and makes the distance manageable. It becomes useful when, ahead of new initiatives, it must become clear which capabilities, processes, or resources are missing. | GIST Planning helps clarify target groups, value, goals, and priorities. It links customer value, product logic, and decision priorities, and captures the result as goals, an idea bank, and a step-project list. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | High | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | Wochen bis Monate je Goal | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-10 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | Goals, Idea bank, Step-project list, Tasks, Learning reports | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | 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 |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | RoadmapOutcomesPlanningExperiments | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality |