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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Specification by ExampleATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Acceptance Criteria Workshop
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Agile Specification by Example |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Agile Acceptance Criteria Workshop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 business rules need to become precise, it ties language, example, and test together. It sorts work by value, risk, and delivery ability. The result is captured as an Example Table and Acceptance Tests. | 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 story needs clear checkpoints before implementation, it sharpens expectation and scope together. It sorts work by value, risk, and delivery ability. The result is captured as Acceptance Criteria and a Story Update. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 60-90 min pro Feature | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 20-40 min pro Story |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-6 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-6 |
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 | Example Table, Acceptance Tests | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Acceptance Criteria, Story Update |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | AgileRequirementsExamplesBehavior-Driven Development | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | AgileRequirementsRefinementBehavior-Driven Development |