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Selected:Option FramingFailure Mode and Effects AnalysisAlignment MappingATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
| Criterion |  Decision Making Option Framing |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | In early decisions, alternatives are often still vague, incomplete, or blended together. Option Framing brings every possibility into a comparable form and makes visible which variant actually fits the question. | 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 | Medium | High | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 45-120 min | 2-6 h | 1-2 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 3-10 | 4-12 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Option Frames, Assumption Notes, Comparable Shortlist, Decision Inputs | 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 | OptionsDecision framingStrategyComparison | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |