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| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | 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 | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 15-45 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 1-3 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | 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 | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |
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