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Selected:CATWOE AnalysisAssumption SurfacingLASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)Assumption Mapping
| Criterion | ![]() Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis | ![]() Decision Making Assumption Surfacing | ![]() Architecture LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews) | ![]() Product Discovery Assumption Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | CATWOE structures a problem from six viewpoints and prevents too narrow a view of the situation. Different experiences of the system become comparably discussable this way. | 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. | When assumptions still sit unordered in the room, it weighs uncertainty against leverage. It makes visible which hypotheses should be checked first. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 45-90 min | 3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional | 45-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-8 | 1 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people | 2-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | 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 | Assumption map, Test backlog, Risk ranking |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean | AssumptionsRiskExperimentsValidation |



