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| Criterion | ![]() Architecture Views and Beyond | ![]() Operations Fishbone Diagram | ![]() Operations 5 Whys | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff 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. | When a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. | 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 | Low | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Tage | 30-60 min | 15-30 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 2-8 | 2-6 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | 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 | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | Root causeQualityOperations | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |



