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| Criterion |  Business Strategy GAP Analysis |  Product Strategy Impact Mapping |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Force Field Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 45-90 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | Impact Map, Outcome Hypotheses, Delivery Options | 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 | Force Field Map, Change Levers, Risk Notes |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | OutcomesStrategyBehaviorPlanning | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ChangeDecisionStrategy |