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Criterion
Paper illustration of Request for Comments (RFC) with its method-specific working model.
Architecture
Request for Comments
A3 Problem-Solving workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
A3 Problem Solving
Paper illustration with architecture components and concrete change tasks for comparison.
Architecture
SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Kepner-Tregoe
Operations
Kepner-Tregoe
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 a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together.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 disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations.
Complexitydifferent
MediumMediumHighHigh
Timedifferent
1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung45-90 minPreparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope2-8 h
Participantsdifferent
3-20 Reviewer2-5Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting2-8
Formatdifferent
AsyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or ticketsA3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause AnalysisDomain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternativesProblem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance
LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations
ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality
Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations
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