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| Criterion | ![]() Business Strategy GAP Analysis | ![]() Product Strategy GIST Planning | ![]() Business Strategy TOWS Matrix | ![]() Product Strategy Counter Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | When a headline metric could mask side effects, it adds guardrail signals against unwanted outcomes. It connects customer value, product logic, and decision priorities. The result is captured as a counter-metric list and guardrail definitions. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | Wochen bis Monate je Goal | 1-2 h | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-10 | 3-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | Goals, Idea bank, Step-project list, Tasks, Learning reports | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | Counter Metric List, Guardrail Definitions |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | RoadmapOutcomesPlanningExperiments | StrategyAnalysisOptions | MetricsMeasurementStrategyExperiments |



