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| Criterion |  Innovation How Might We |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |  Decision Making Option Framing |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | In early decisions, alternatives are often still vague, incomplete, or blended together. Option Framing brings every possibility into a comparable form and makes visible which variant actually fits the question. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 30–45 min | 1-2 h | 45-120 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 3-10 | 3-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea Prompts | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | Option Frames, Assumption Notes, Comparable Shortlist, Decision Inputs | 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 |
Tagsno overlap | FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions | StrategyAnalysisOptions | OptionsDecision framingStrategyComparison | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality |