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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 the McKinsey 7S Framework with seven connected fields
Business Strategy
McKinsey 7S
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.McKinsey 7S checks whether Strategy, Structure, Systems, Shared Values, Skills, Style, and Staff fit together. Organizational misalignments become visible across multiple levers as a result.
Complexitydifferent
LowHighMedium
Timedifferent
45-90 minSeveral meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope2-4 h
Participantsdifferent
2-8Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders3-12
Formatdifferent
Workshop + 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 investigations7S Assessment, Alignment Gaps, Change Actions
Tagsno overlap
GrowthStrategyMarketPortfolio
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
OrganizationStrategyAlignmentChange
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration for Alignment Mapping.
Facilitation
Alignment Mapping
Four paper stations connect system purpose, quality goals, risk cards and focused investigation with a target and gap profile.
Architecture
LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)
Paper illustration with architecture components and concrete change tasks for comparison.
Architecture
SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
Stakeholder Mapping
Facilitation
Stakeholder Mapping