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| Criterion |  Decision Making Radar |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |  Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When capabilities, maturity levels, or market positions need to be compared across several dimensions, overview is easily lost. Radar brings different characteristics into a shared picture and shows patterns faster than tables do. | 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. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 60-120 min | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 2-10 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-8 | 1-4 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Radar Map, Capability Scores, Action Areas | 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 | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | AssessmentPortfolioCapability | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |