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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)WSJFArchitecture Inception CanvasArchitecture Communication Canvas
| Criterion | ![]() Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) | ![]() Agile WSJF | ![]() Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas | ![]() Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 many tasks compete for the same capacity, it orders work by economic impact. It makes time lost, benefit, and effort comparable together. | The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 45-90 min | 1-2 h | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-10 | 3-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | 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 | Ranked Backlog, Cost-of-Delay Assumptions | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | LeanEconomicsSequencePrioritization | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas |



