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Selected:Option FramingSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Alignment MappingDecision Framing Workshop
| Criterion |  Decision Making Option Framing |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Decision Making Decision Framing Workshop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. | When a decision is poorly framed, even good answers deliver little value. A Decision Framing Workshop sharpens the problem, goal, and boundaries before the actual weighing begins. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-120 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 1-2 h | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 4-12 | 4-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Option Frames, Assumption Notes, Comparable Shortlist, Decision Inputs | 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 | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Decision Frame, Decision Question, Criteria List, Evidence Plan |
Tagsno overlap | OptionsDecision framingStrategyComparison | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | Decision framingAlignmentCriteriaOptions |