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| Criterion |  Decision Making Risk Matrix |  Facilitation Dot Voting |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Facilitation Nominal Group Technique |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | When a workshop has produced too many options and the group needs to condense quickly, dot voting makes preferences visible in a short time. It bundles individual votes into a solid signal for the next selection. | 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. | When loud voices could dominate a round, Nominal Group Technique protects individual thinking time from group effects. It collects ideas separately first and only then enables shared weighting. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-60 min | 5-15 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 3-20 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 5-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Risk Matrix, Top Risk List | Ranked list, Consensus signal, Shortlist | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Ranked Ideas, Clarified Options, Group Priority |
Tagsno overlap | RiskDecisionPrioritizationAssessment | FacilitationVotingConsensusPrioritization | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | FacilitationPrioritizationVotingInclusion |