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Selected:PARA MethodSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Architecture Decision RecordGolden Path
| Criterion |  Knowledge Modeling PARA Method |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Engineering Golden Path |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The PARA Method organizes knowledge into Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives. It creates order when digital notes, files, and tasks no longer cleanly fit current work. | 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. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | When teams need a reliable default path for frequent use, sprawl quickly emerges without any guiding logic. Golden Path bundles the preferred path so good practice becomes easy and deviation becomes deliberate. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h Setup, laufend | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 15-45 min | 1-3 Tage Setup, laufend |
Participantsdifferent | 1 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 1-3 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | PARA Structure, Project Notes, Knowledge Archive | 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 | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Golden Path Guide, Templates, Quality Checks |
Tagsno overlap | KnowledgeProductivityOrganization | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | EngineeringProductivityGovernance |