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Selected:Request for CommentsAssumption SurfacingRisk MatrixATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
| Criterion |  Architecture Request for Comments |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Decision Making Risk Matrix |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | When a project faces many possible disruptions, it quickly becomes unclear which risks deserve attention first. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Risk Matrix and a Top Risk List. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 45-90 min | 30-60 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 Reviewer | 2-8 | 3-10 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Risk Matrix, Top Risk List | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | RiskDecisionPrioritizationAssessment | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |