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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Architecture Decision RecordViews and BeyondATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 15-45 min | 1-3 Tage | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 1-3 | 1-4 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
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 | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations |
Tags1 shared | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |