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Selected:Root Cause AnalysisCausal Factor AnalysisSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)5 Whys
| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | 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. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 2-6 h | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 3-10 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | 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 | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |