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Selected:Systems MappingRAID LogSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Architecture Decision Record
| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Systems Mapping |  Delivery RAID Log |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Helps clarify scope, sequence, and delivery flow in concrete terms. It makes work, boundaries, and order steerable. The result is captured as a RAID Log and a source for status reporting. | 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 | Medium | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 30 min Setup, dann laufend | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 1-3 maintaining, briefing for everyone | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | System Map, Dependencies, Leverage Points | RAID Log, Status Report Source | 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 | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingMappingBoundariesChange | RiskTrackingStakeholdersGovernance | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |