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Selected:Systems MappingSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Evaporating CloudATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Systems Mapping |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Systems Thinking Evaporating Cloud |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff 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. | 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. | The method makes visible why two seemingly incompatible demands arise and which assumption must be tested to resolve the conflict. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 60-120 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | System Map, Dependencies, Leverage Points | 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 | Conflict Cloud, Assumption List, Breakthrough Ideas, Next Experiments | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingMappingBoundariesChange | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Theory of ConstraintsAssumptionsSystems thinking | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |