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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Kepner-TregoeATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Fishbone Diagram
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. | 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. | When a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | High | Low |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 2-8 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 2-8 |
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 | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | Root causeQualityOperations |