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Selected:Force Field AnalysisMcKinsey 7SSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Alignment Mapping
| Criterion |  Decision Making Force Field Analysis |  Business Strategy McKinsey 7S |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | In change initiatives, supporting and restraining forces sit at the table at the same time. Force Field Analysis makes these tensions explicit and shows where change can be pushed forward by strengthening or relieving. | McKinsey 7S checks whether Strategy, Structure, Systems, Shared Values, Skills, Style, and Staff fit together. Organizational misalignments become visible across multiple levers as a result. | 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. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 2-4 h | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 3-12 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Force Field Map, Change Levers, Risk Notes | 7S Assessment, Alignment Gaps, Change Actions | 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 | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ChangeDecisionStrategy | OrganizationStrategyAlignmentChange | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |