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Selected:Request for CommentsSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Force Field AnalysisChange Analysis
| Criterion |  Architecture Request for Comments |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Force Field Analysis |  Operations Change 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. | 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. | 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. | For a deviation after a change, the method isolates the influence of the altered condition. It narrows down which differences are relevant and which are just accompanying noise. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 45-90 min | 45-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 Reviewer | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-12 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | 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 | Force Field Map, Change Levers, Risk Notes | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ChangeDecisionStrategy | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison |