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| Criterion | ![]() Business Strategy GAP Analysis | ![]() Operations ALPEN Method | ![]() Product Discovery Smoke Test | ![]() Product Discovery Assumption Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. | When demand only needs to be roughly verified, it tests interest with minimal effort. It measures whether people would take a next step at all. | 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 | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 10-20 min daily | 1-5 Tage | 45-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 1 | Nutzertraffic | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes | Interest Metrics, Conversion Signal, Learning Note | Assumption map, Test backlog, Risk ranking |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations | ValidationExperimentsDemandGrowth | AssumptionsRiskExperimentsValidation |



