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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Assumption SurfacingValue Chain AnalysisForce Field Analysis
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Business Strategy Value Chain Analysis |  Decision Making Force Field 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. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | Value Chain Analysis shows where value is created, costs accrue, and differentiation becomes possible along the process. It compares strengths, risks, market logic, and courses of action. The result is captured as a value-chain map and lever list. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 45-90 min | Half day | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-8 | 3-8 | 3-12 |
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 | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Value Chain Map, Lever List | Force Field Map, Change Levers, Risk Notes |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | StrategyBusiness modelDiagnosisAnalysis | ChangeDecisionStrategy |