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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Architecture Communication CanvasForce Field AnalysisAlignment Mapping
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |  Decision Making Force Field Analysis |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. | In change initiatives, supporting and restraining forces sit at the table at the same time. Force Field Analysis makes these tensions explicit and shows where change can be pushed forward by strengthening or relieving. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 60-120 min | 45-90 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-8 | 3-12 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | 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 | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan | Force Field Map, Change Levers, Risk Notes | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas | ChangeDecisionStrategy | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |