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| Criterion |  Architecture Request for Comments |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  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. | CATWOE structures a problem from six viewpoints and prevents too narrow a view of the situation. Different experiences of the system become comparably discussable this way. | 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 | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 45-90 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 Reviewer | 3-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | 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 | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.
