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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Barrier AnalysisFamily Tree AnalysisRoot Cause Tree Analysis
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Operations Barrier Analysis |  Operations Family Tree Analysis |  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. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. | For a series of incidents with a similar pattern, the method arranges individual events as branches of a common origin. It makes visible which conditions keep recurring. | 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 | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 2-4 h | 2-4 h | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-6 | 2-6 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | 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 | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | Family Tree Diagram, Pattern Notes, Systemic Measures | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Root causeSafetyIncident | Root causePatternsIncidentSystemic | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality |