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Criterion
Gap Analysis method illustration showing its working structure
Business Strategy
GAP Analysis
A hypothetical failure makes concrete risks, signals, and fitting mitigations visible.
Decision Making
Pre-Mortem
Paper illustration for Communication Plan
Delivery
Communication Plan
Paper illustration of an assumption matrix with prioritized test cards
Decision Making
Assumption Surfacing
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.In early initiatives with many uncertainties, planning quickly turns too optimistic. A pre-mortem makes the expected failure visible in advance and sharpens the view of causes, gaps, and countermeasures.When many people need to be informed in parallel and messages would otherwise arrive unevenly or too late, a Communication Plan orders communication reliably. Channels, audiences, and cadences interlock so important information doesn't get lost.Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it.
Complexitydifferent
MediumLowLowLow
Timedifferent
1-3 h20–45 min45-90 min45-90 min
Participantsdifferent
2-8Small cross-functional group2-62-8
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk NotesRisk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption logCommunication Plan, Channel Matrix, Message CadenceAssumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan
Tagsno overlap
StrategyAnalysisPlanning
RiskDecisionFailurePlanning
CommunicationStakeholdersDeliveryPlanning
AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery
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