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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)arc42VRIO FrameworkArchitecture Decision Record
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Architecture arc42 |  Business Strategy VRIO Framework |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes. | The VRIO Framework rates resources and capabilities on whether they are Valuable, Rare, Inimitable, and Organized. It compares strengths, risks, market logic, and courses of action. The result is captured as a VRIO table and strategic actions. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 1-2 Tage | 90-180 min | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 1-4 | 3-6 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + 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 | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | VRIO Table, Strategic Actions | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | StrategyDiagnosisBusiness modelCapability | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |