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Criterion
Paper illustration of an assumption matrix with prioritized test cards
Decision Making
Assumption Surfacing
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)
Architecture Inception Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Architecture Inception Canvas
Purposedifferent
Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it.LASR helps development teams identify where their software falls short of important quality goals and which improvements to consider. A small group with existing system knowledge can make an initial assessment and investigate open questions in more detail.The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumLow
Timedifferent
45-90 min3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional1-2 h
Participantsdifferent
2-81 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people3-8
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning PlanLean Mission Statement describing the software’s purpose, Prioritized quality goals and evaluation criteria, Risks and estimated gaps against quality goals, More closely examined findings and open checksInception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions
Tagsno overlap
AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery
ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean
AlignmentArchitectureCanvas
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Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration of a calibrated five-by-five risk matrix with response cards.
Decision Making
Risk Matrix
Software Architecture Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Software Architecture Canvas
Architecture Communication Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Architecture Communication Canvas