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| Criterion |  Facilitation Mind Mapping |  Knowledge Modeling Knowledge Mapping |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  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. | Knowledge Mapping makes knowledge, gaps, and transfer paths visible across a field. It fits when expertise should not just exist but also be findable and transferable. | 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 | 15-45 min | 1-3 h | 45-90 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 3-12 | 3-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Mind Map, Topic Clusters, Open Questions | Knowledge Map, Critical Knowledge Areas, Transfer Plan | 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 | BrainstormingIdeasMappingStructureFacilitation | KnowledgeMappingRisk | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |