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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Future Reality TreeLASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)Evaporating Cloud
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Systems Thinking Future Reality Tree |  Architecture LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews) |  Systems Thinking Evaporating Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | A Future Reality Tree shows how desired actions are meant to lead to a better system state. The method checks whether a path of change holds together logically before time flows into implementation. | 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 method makes visible why two seemingly incompatible demands arise and which assumption must be tested to resolve the conflict. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 2-4 h | 3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-8 | 1 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people | 2-8 |
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 | Future Reality Tree, Negative Branches, Assumption List, Improved Injections | 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 | Conflict Cloud, Assumption List, Breakthrough Ideas, Next Experiments |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Theory of ConstraintsSystems thinkingChange | ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean | Theory of ConstraintsAssumptionsSystems thinking |