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Selected:Stakeholder MappingATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Problem Framing WorkshopSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
| Criterion | ![]() Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) | ![]() Facilitation Problem Framing Workshop | ![]() Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | When a team works on symptoms but the real question stays fuzzy, a Problem Framing Workshop sharpens the view of the right problem. It separates observation, interpretation, and target picture from each other. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 60–90 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 60-120 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 4-10 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Problem Statement, Scope Boundaries, Assumption List, Next Analysis Questions | 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 |
Tagsno overlap | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | FacilitationAlignmentDiscovery | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality |



