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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Decision Framing WorkshopLASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)Architecture Inception Canvas
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Decision Framing Workshop |  Architecture LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews) |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 decision is poorly framed, even good answers deliver little value. A Decision Framing Workshop sharpens the problem, goal, and boundaries before the actual weighing begins. | LASR helps development teams identify where their software falls short of important quality goals and which improvements to consider. A small group with existing system knowledge can make an initial assessment and investigate open questions in more detail. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 60-120 min | 3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 4-10 | 1 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | 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 | Decision Frame, Decision Question, Criteria List, Evidence Plan | Lean Mission Statement describing the software’s purpose, Prioritized quality goals and evaluation criteria, Risks and estimated gaps against quality goals, More closely examined findings and open checks | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Decision framingAlignmentCriteriaOptions | ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas |