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| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Operations Scatter Diagram |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When the question is whether two measures are related, the method makes patterns in the data picture visible. It separates felt correlations from relationships that actually show up in the data. | The C4 Model makes a system legible across several resolution levels, from context down to code. It suits situations where different audiences need to understand the same architecture from different altitudes. | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 30-90 min | 1-4 h | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 1-4 | 1-5 | 1-4 |
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 | Scatter Plot, Korrelationsnotiz, Hypothesenliste | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Root causeQualityVisualization | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |