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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Contradiction AnalysisATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)TRIZ
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Innovation Contradiction Analysis |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Innovation TRIZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 a system should improve while another measure suffers as a result, the method makes the underlying conflict precisely formulable. It separates the desired effect from its side effect. This makes solutions possible that address the contradiction deliberately instead of half-heartedly. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | For technical contradictions or trade-offs, the method looks for solutions that resolve opposing requirements at the same time. It translates limits into an explicit picture of conflict that becomes workable. This produces not just compromises but more elegant principles. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | High | High |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 60-120 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
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 | Contradiction Statement, Abstraction Notes, Solution Principles, Concept Ideas | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Contradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution Concepts |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ContradictionsInnovationProblem solving | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity |