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| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 30-90 min | 1-6 Wochen | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-8 | 4-10 | 2-6 |
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 | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |