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Selected:Mind MappingFailure Mode and Effects AnalysisAlignment MappingATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
| Criterion |  Facilitation Mind Mapping |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a topic is still unclear and too many thoughts surface at once, Mind Mapping creates an open surface for ordering them. It makes connections, subtopics, and starting points visible without fixing them too early. | 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. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. | 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 | High | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 2-6 h | 1-2 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 3-10 | 4-12 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Mind Map, Topic Clusters, Open Questions | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | 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 | BrainstormingIdeasMappingStructureFacilitation | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |