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Selected:Root Cause Tree AnalysisSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Scatter DiagramRoot Cause Analysis
| Criterion | ![]() Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis | ![]() Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) | ![]() Operations Scatter Diagram | ![]() Operations Root Cause Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a problem with several suspected causes, the method builds a causal structure instead of a mere list. It makes visible how causes connect and where the strongest points of leverage lie. | 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. | When the question is whether two measures are related, the method makes patterns in the data picture visible. It separates felt correlations from relationships that actually show up in the data. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 30-90 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 1-4 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | 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 | Scatter Plot, Korrelationsnotiz, Hypothesenliste | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tags1 shared | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Root causeQualityVisualization | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |



