View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
Selected:Request for Comments8D Problem SolvingSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Root Cause Analysis
| Criterion | ![]() Architecture Request for Comments | ![]() Operations 8D Problem Solving | ![]() Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) | ![]() Operations Root Cause Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | An RFC clarifies architecture context, options, and consequences. It structures technical context, alternatives, tradeoffs, open questions, and review feedback, and captures the result as an RFC document, reviewer comments, and a decision rationale. | For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly. | 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 a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 1-6 Wochen | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 Reviewer | 4-10 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan | 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 | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |



