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| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Business Strategy GAP Analysis |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | GAP Analysis compares the current state with a target picture and makes the distance manageable. It becomes useful when, ahead of new initiatives, it must become clear which capabilities, processes, or resources are missing. | SAAM helps teams judge an architecture’s suitability for selected tasks and changes. It is particularly useful for examining modifiability and comparing architecture alternatives with clear reasoning. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 1-3 h | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | Domain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternatives | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | StrategyAnalysisOptions |