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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)5-Minuten VC-CheckChange AnalysisATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
| Criterion | ![]() Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) | ![]() Business Strategy 5-Minuten VC-Check | ![]() Operations Change Analysis | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | The 5-Minute VC Check clarifies opportunities and strategic options at the earliest idea stage. It compares problem quality, customer willingness to pay, alternatives, differentiation, and market potential, and captures the result as a VC-check note, go/sharpen/park decision, and risk list. | For a deviation after a change, the method isolates the influence of the altered condition. It narrows down which differences are relevant and which are just accompanying noise. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 5-15 min | 45-120 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 1-5 | 2-6 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | 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 | VC-check note, Go/sharpen/park decision, Risk and assumption list, Next validation step | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | StartupValidationCompetition | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |



