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Criterion
Causal Loop Diagram workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Systems Thinking
Causal Loop Diagram
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 for Behavior Over Time Graph.
Systems Thinking
Behavior Over Time Graph
Purposedifferent
A Causal Loop Diagram makes feedback, reinforcement, and balance in a system legible. It uncovers side effects and self-reinforcement that stay hidden in linear explanations.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.A Behavior Over Time Graph shows how a metric or observation develops over time. The method makes trends, breaks, and recurring patterns visible that get lost in snapshots.
Complexitydifferent
MediumMediumLow
Timedifferent
1-3 h3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional20-45 min
Participantsdifferent
2-81 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people1-10
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage PointsLean 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 checksBehavior Over Time Graph, Trend Hypotheses, Key Events
Tagsno overlap
FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics
ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean
Systems thinkingPatternsDynamics
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Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Stock and Flow Diagram method illustration showing its working structure
Systems Thinking
Stock and Flow Diagram
Paper illustration of System Archetypes with its method-specific working model.
Systems Thinking
System Archetypes
Design sheets and interface cards connect to jointly written pseudocode with highlighted unresolved questions.
Architecture
ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)