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Criterion
Paper illustration with architecture components and concrete change tasks for comparison.
Architecture
SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Paper illustration of System Dynamics Simulation with its method-specific working model.
Systems Thinking
System Dynamics Simulation
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.System Dynamics Simulation makes assumptions about time, delay, and feedback testable through experiments. It draws relationships, patterns, and feedback loops. The result is captured as a simulation model and scenario reports.
Complexitydifferent
HighLowHigh
Timedifferent
Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope15-45 minMehrere Tage bis Wochen
Participantsdifferent
Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting1-31-5 Modellierende, Stakeholder asynchron
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncAsyncAsync
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 alternativesADR File, Decision Log, RationaleSimulation Model, Scenario Reports
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
Systems thinkingDynamicsSimulationAnalysis
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Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Stock and Flow Diagram method illustration showing its working structure
Systems Thinking
Stock and Flow Diagram
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Behavior Over Time Graph.
Systems Thinking
Behavior Over Time Graph