View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | 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. | 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 | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Tage | 15-45 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 1-3 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | ADR File, Decision Log, 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 |
Tags1 shared | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality |
Often compared together
Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.
