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Criterion
Paper illustration with architecture components and concrete change tasks for comparison.
Architecture
SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
Paper illustration of Value Chain Analysis with its method-specific working model.
Business Strategy
Value Chain Analysis
Four paper stations connect system purpose, quality goals, risk cards and focused investigation with a target and gap profile.
Architecture
LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)
Paper illustration of VRIO Framework with its method-specific working model.
Business Strategy
VRIO Framework
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.Value Chain Analysis shows where value is created, costs accrue, and differentiation becomes possible along the process. It compares strengths, risks, market logic, and courses of action. The result is captured as a value-chain map and lever list.LASR helps development teams identify where their software falls short of important quality goals and which improvements to consider. A small group with existing system knowledge can make an initial assessment and investigate open questions in more detail.The VRIO Framework rates resources and capabilities on whether they are Valuable, Rare, Inimitable, and Organized. It compares strengths, risks, market logic, and courses of action. The result is captured as a VRIO table and strategic actions.
Complexitydifferent
HighHighMediumMedium
Timedifferent
Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scopeHalf day3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional90-180 min
Participantsdifferent
Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting3-81 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people3-6
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
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 alternativesValue Chain Map, Lever ListLean Mission Statement describing the software’s purpose, Prioritized quality goals and evaluation criteria, Risks and estimated gaps against quality goals, More closely examined findings and open checksVRIO Table, Strategic Actions
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality
StrategyBusiness modelDiagnosisAnalysis
ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean
StrategyDiagnosisBusiness modelCapability
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