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| Criterion |  Decision Making Option Framing |  Business Strategy GAP Analysis |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture 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. | 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. | 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 |
Timedifferent | 45-120 min | 1-3 h | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Option Frames, Assumption Notes, Comparable Shortlist, Decision Inputs | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | 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 | OptionsDecision framingStrategyComparison | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality |
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