methodatlas
Compare

View methods side by side.

Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.

Criterion
Views and Beyond method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Views and Beyond
Paper illustration of Request for Comments (RFC) with its method-specific working model.
Architecture
Request for Comments
Paper illustration for Trade-off Analysis.
Decision Making
Trade-off Analysis
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 RFC clarifies architecture context, options, and consequences. It structures technical context, alternatives, tradeoffs, open questions, and review feedback, and captures the result as an RFC document, reviewer comments, and a decision rationale.With limited resources, quality, speed, cost, and risk almost always compete with each other. Trade-off Analysis makes these tensions explicit and prevents decisions from producing hidden side effects.
Complexitysame
MediumMediumMedium
Timedifferent
1-3 Tage1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung45-120 min
Participantsdifferent
1-43-20 Reviewer2-8
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncAsyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, RationaleRFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or ticketsTrade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides
Tagsno overlap
DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture
ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance
TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions
Add more methods

Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration of a decision table with criteria rows, weighted ratings, and a narrowly leading alternative.
Decision Making
Decision Matrix