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Selected:ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)TOWS MatrixLASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)
| Criterion |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |  Architecture LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | The TOWS Matrix connects internal strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats into action-oriented strategies. It goes a step further than a pure stocktaking. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 1-2 h | 3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional |
Participantsdifferent | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-10 | 1 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | Lean 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 checks |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | StrategyAnalysisOptions | ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean |
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