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Selected:Process MappingATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)After-Action ReviewFishbone Diagram
| Criterion | ![]() Operations Process Mapping | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) | ![]() Operations After-Action Review | ![]() Operations Fishbone Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | With a confusing workflow that has many handoffs, the method makes the actual process visible. It shows where work is passed on, delayed, or duplicated, so improvement targets the right spots. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | After missions or project phases with unclear outcomes, the method makes visible what actually happened and what can be learned from it. It separates course, effect, and causes so experience turns into solid improvement. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 20-45 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-12 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | ProcessOperationsImprovement | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | LearningOperationsImprovement | Root causeQualityOperations |



