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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Decision TreeOption FramingForce Field Analysis
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Decision Making Option Framing |  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. | For decisions with follow-on paths and dependencies, a linear comparison is often not enough. A Decision Tree shows how options branch under conditions and which consequences hang on each branch. | In early decisions, alternatives are often still vague, incomplete, or blended together. Option Framing brings every possibility into a comparable form and makes visible which variant actually fits the question. | 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 | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 30-90 min | 45-120 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 1-6 | 3-8 | 3-12 |
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 | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Option Frames, Assumption Notes, Comparable Shortlist, Decision Inputs | Force Field Map, Change Levers, Risk Notes |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | DecisionTreeOptions | OptionsDecision framingStrategyComparison | ChangeDecisionStrategy |