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Selected:Polarity MappingStakeholder MappingSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Power Interest Grid
| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Polarity Mapping |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Facilitation Power Interest Grid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Polarity Mapping makes tensions between two opposing poles tangible, such as standardization and adaptation or control and autonomy. The method guards against making apparent either-or decisions prematurely. | When an initiative depends on many people, interests, and power dynamics, Stakeholder Mapping systematically orders the environment. It shows who influences, who is affected, and where relationship management or safeguarding matters first. | 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 many stakeholders compete for attention at once, the Power Interest Grid sorts them by influence and stake. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as a Power Interest Grid and a stakeholder-specific strategy. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 60–90 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 2-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Polarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance Actions | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | 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 | Power Interest Grid, Strategy per Stakeholder |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | StakeholdersFacilitationAlignmentPlanning |