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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)
A paper-based illustration representing arc42 with its core stages and visible working result.
Architecture
arc42
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.arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes.
Complexitydifferent
MediumHighLow
Timedifferent
6 Wochen Cycle + 2 Wochen Cool-DownPreparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope1-2 Tage
Participantsdifferent
2-4 pro PitchArchitecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting1-4
Formatsame
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
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 alternativesArchitecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View
Tagsno overlap
PlanningDeliveryAutonomy
ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality
ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication
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Often compared together

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

Paper illustration for Communication Plan
Delivery
Communication Plan
Architecture Communication Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Architecture Communication Canvas
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)