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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Option FramingArchitecture Decision RecordChange Analysis
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Option Framing |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Operations Change 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. | 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. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 45-120 min | 15-45 min | 45-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-8 | 1-3 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | 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 | Option Frames, Assumption Notes, Comparable Shortlist, Decision Inputs | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | OptionsDecision framingStrategyComparison | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison |