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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Affinity DiagrammingATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When research notes, feedback, or observations sit unconnected side by side, affinity diagramming sorts the raw material into solid themes. Many individual points turn into patterns that make decisions and opportunities clearer. | 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. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | High | High |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 45–90 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-10 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + 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 | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |