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Selected:Views and BeyondSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Alignment Mapping3-Circle Venn Diagram
| Criterion |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Facilitation 3-Circle Venn Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. | When three perspectives matter at the same time, a Three-Circle Venn Diagram shows the overlaps and remainders precisely. It makes visible where shared effect arises and where only a partial perspective applies. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Tage | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 1-2 h | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 4-12 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | 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 | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Venn Diagram, Overlap Notes, Differentiators |
Tagsno overlap | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | ComparisonFacilitationAlignment |