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Selected:Alignment MappingLotus BlossomATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Reverse Brainstorming
| Criterion |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Innovation Lotus Blossom |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Innovation Reverse Brainstorming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 a central question feels too large, the method breaks it into neighboring topic fields with their own depth of ideation. It holds structure and openness at the same time, so adjacent perspectives don't get lost. This grows an idea space out of a core problem. | 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. | For persistent errors or blockages, the method shifts the view to the opposite of the desired effect. It exposes the mechanics of failure and makes hidden causes easier to grasp. This makes improvement more concrete and the problem clearer. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 45-90 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-12 | 3-10 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Lotus Diagram, Idea Themes, Shortlist | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Reverse Ideas, Risk Themes, Solution Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityDivergenceWorkshop | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityRisk |