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| Criterion |  Architecture Request for Comments |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Force Field 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. | 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. | In change initiatives, supporting and restraining forces sit at the table at the same time. Force Field Analysis makes these tensions explicit and shows where change can be pushed forward by strengthening or relieving. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 Reviewer | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Force Field Map, Change Levers, Risk Notes |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | ChangeDecisionStrategy |
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