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Criterion
Paper illustration of a two-by-two Ansoff Matrix with four growth directions
Business Strategy
Ansoff Matrix
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
Paper illustration for Alignment Mapping.
Facilitation
Alignment Mapping
Purposedifferent
The Ansoff Matrix organizes growth options by market and product relation. It helps weigh expansion, diversification, and adaptation cleanly against each other.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.When several options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared logic.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.
Complexitydifferent
LowHighMediumMedium
Timedifferent
45-90 minSeveral meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope45-90 min1-2 h
Participantsdifferent
2-8Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders2-84-12
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Ansoff Matrix, Growth Options, Risk NotesPrioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigationsDecision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected OptionAlignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions
Tagsno overlap
GrowthStrategyMarketPortfolio
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs
AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation
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