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Criterion
Paper illustration for Option Framing.
Decision Making
Option Framing
Paper illustration with architecture components and concrete change tasks for comparison.
Architecture
SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Constraint Analysis.
Decision Making
Constraint Analysis
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 an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped.
Complexitydifferent
MediumHighLow
Timedifferent
45-120 minPreparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope30-90 min
Participantsdifferent
3-8Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting2-8
Formatsame
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Option Frames, Assumption Notes, Comparable Shortlist, Decision InputsDomain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternativesConstraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries
Tagsno overlap
OptionsDecision framingStrategyComparison
ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality
ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration of the Force Field Analysis working structure.
Decision Making
Force Field Analysis
Gap Analysis method illustration showing its working structure
Business Strategy
GAP Analysis
Paper illustration for OODA Loop.
Decision Making
OODA Loop
Paper illustration for TOWS Matrix.
Business Strategy
TOWS Matrix