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Criterion
Paper illustration of Shape Up with its method-specific working model.
Delivery
Shape Up
Paper illustration with architecture components and concrete change tasks for comparison.
Architecture
SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Purposedifferent
Shape Up helps clarify scope, sequence, and delivery flow. It makes work boundaries and decisions explicit and captures results as pitches, bet-table decisions, and hill charts.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.An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable.
Complexitydifferent
MediumHighLow
Timedifferent
6 Wochen Cycle + 2 Wochen Cool-DownPreparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope15-45 min
Participantsdifferent
2-4 pro PitchArchitecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting1-3
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncAsync
Outputdifferent
Pitches, Bet-table decisions, Hill charts, Cooldown outcomesDomain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternativesADR File, Decision Log, Rationale
Tagsno overlap
PlanningDeliveryAutonomy
ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
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Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Change Analysis.
Operations
Change Analysis
Paper illustration for Communication Plan
Delivery
Communication Plan