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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Stakeholder MappingChange AnalysisAlignment Mapping
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Operations Change Analysis |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 an initiative depends on many people, interests, and power dynamics, Stakeholder Mapping systematically orders the environment. It shows who influences, who is affected, and where relationship management or safeguarding matters first. | 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. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 60–90 min | 45-120 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-8 | 2-6 | 4-12 |
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 | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |