View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
Selected:Views and Beyondarc42SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Architecture Decision Record
| Criterion |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes. | 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 Tage | 1-2 Tage | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 1-4 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | 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 |
Tags1 shared | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |