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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Architecture Inception CanvasRoot Cause Tree Analysis
| Criterion | ![]() Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) | ![]() Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas | ![]() Operations Root Cause Tree 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. | The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails. | For a problem with several suspected causes, the method builds a causal structure instead of a mere list. It makes visible how causes connect and where the strongest points of leverage lie. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 1-2 h | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | 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 | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality |
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