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Selected:Systems MappingATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Views and BeyondSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Systems Mapping |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Systems Mapping arranges elements, relationships, and boundaries so a complex field becomes legible at a glance. The overview stabilizes the overall picture before detail work or steering begins. | 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. | Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question. | 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 | Medium | High | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 1-3 Tage | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 1-4 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | System Map, Dependencies, Leverage Points | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | 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 | Systems thinkingMappingBoundariesChange | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality |