View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Engineering Goal Question Metric |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Business Strategy McKinsey 7S |  Product Strategy Counter Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Helps clarify technical problems, hypotheses, and next steps in concrete terms. It breaks a technical problem into testable parts. The result is captured as a GQM table and metric briefs. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. | McKinsey 7S checks whether Strategy, Structure, Systems, Shared Values, Skills, Style, and Staff fit together. Organizational misalignments become visible across multiple levers as a result. | 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 | 90-180 min | 1-2 h | 2-4 h | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-6 | 4-12 | 3-12 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | GQM Table, Metric Profiles | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | 7S Assessment, Alignment Gaps, Change Actions | Counter Metric List, Guardrail Definitions |
Tagsno overlap | MetricsMeasurementEngineeringAlignment | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | OrganizationStrategyAlignmentChange | MetricsMeasurementStrategyExperiments |