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Selected:Pareto AnalysisRisk MatrixSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
| Criterion |  Decision Making Pareto Analysis |  Decision Making Risk Matrix |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects 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 project faces many possible disruptions, it quickly becomes unclear which risks deserve attention first. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Risk Matrix and a Top Risk List. | 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. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | High | High |
Timedifferent | 30-60 min | 30-60 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-6 | 3-10 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Pareto Chart, Top Causes, Focus List | Risk Matrix, Top Risk List | 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 | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | PrioritizationQualityFocusRoot cause | RiskDecisionPrioritizationAssessment | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |