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Criterion
How Might We
Innovation
How Might We
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration of the Lotus Blossom working structure.
Innovation
Lotus Blossom
Purposedifferent
With a stuck problem carrying many implicit assumptions, the method translates observations into open, workable questions. It sharpens the problem frame without pre-thinking the solution, turning frustration or fuzziness into a search space with clear direction.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 central question feels too large, the method breaks it into neighboring topic fields with their own depth of ideation. It holds structure and openness at the same time, so adjacent perspectives don't get lost. This grows an idea space out of a core problem.
Complexitydifferent
LowHighLow
Timedifferent
30–45 minSeveral meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope45-90 min
Participantsdifferent
1-10Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders3-10
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea PromptsPrioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigationsLotus Diagram, Idea Themes, Shortlist
Tagsno overlap
FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
BrainstormingIdeationCreativityDivergenceWorkshop
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Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

A paper-based illustration representing Brainstorming with its core stages and visible working result.
Innovation
Brainstorming
Paper illustration for Reverse Brainstorming
Innovation
Reverse Brainstorming
Paper illustration of Design Charrette with its method-specific working model.
Innovation
Design Charrette
Four paper stations connect system purpose, quality goals, risk cards and focused investigation with a target and gap profile.
Architecture
LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)