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Selected:Views and BeyondSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Architecture Decision Recordarc42
| Criterion |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Tage | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 15-45 min | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 1-3 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, 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 | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tags1 shared | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |