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| Criterion |  Decision Making Pareto Analysis |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Operations ABC Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | In many problem situations, effect is distributed unequally across many causes. A Pareto Analysis separates the few drivers with high leverage from the long remainder and focuses attention on what measurably moves the needle. | When a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. | 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. | With many similar objects of differing economic significance, the method prioritizes effort by effect. It separates what needs regular steering from what rarely needs attention. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-60 min | 30-60 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-6 | 2-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Pareto Chart, Top Causes, Focus List | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | 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 | ABC Classification, Focus Rules, Control List |
Tagsno overlap | PrioritizationQualityFocusRoot cause | Root causeQualityOperations | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | PrioritizationOperationsPortfolio |