View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Business Strategy GAP Analysis |  Product Strategy GIST Planning |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Product Strategy Impact 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. | GIST Planning helps clarify target groups, value, goals, and priorities. It links customer value, product logic, and decision priorities, and captures the result as goals, an idea bank, and a step-project list. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | When a goal needs to be connected to several possible paths, it shows chains of impact instead of feature lists. It connects business goal, behavior change, and measures. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | Wochen bis Monate je Goal | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-10 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | Goals, Idea bank, Step-project list, Tasks, Learning reports | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Impact Map, Outcome Hypotheses, Delivery Options |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | RoadmapOutcomesPlanningExperiments | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | OutcomesStrategyBehaviorPlanning |