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Selected:Value Chain AnalysisChange AnalysisRoot Cause AnalysisSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
| Criterion |  Business Strategy Value Chain Analysis |  Operations Change Analysis |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Value Chain Analysis shows where value is created, costs accrue, and differentiation becomes possible along the process. It compares strengths, risks, market logic, and courses of action. The result is captured as a value-chain map and lever list. | For a deviation after a change, the method isolates the influence of the altered condition. It narrows down which differences are relevant and which are just accompanying noise. | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. | 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 | High | Medium | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | Half day | 45-120 min | 1-4 h | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-6 | 3-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Value Chain Map, Lever List | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | 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 | StrategyBusiness modelDiagnosisAnalysis | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality |