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| Criterion | ![]() Innovation How Might We | ![]() Architecture Views and Beyond | ![]() Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | With a stuck problem carrying many implicit assumptions, the method translates observations into open, workable questions. It sharpens the problem frame without pre-thinking the solution, turning frustration or fuzziness into a search space with clear direction. | Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question. | CATWOE structures a problem from six viewpoints and prevents too narrow a view of the situation. Different experiences of the system become comparably discussable this way. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 30–45 min | 1-3 Tage | 45-90 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 1-4 | 3-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea Prompts | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations |
Tagsno overlap | FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |



