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Criterion
Paper illustration of a branching impact map with a Why goal at the root, actor circles, How behavior changes and What options.
Product Strategy
Impact Mapping
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Risk Storming.
Architecture
Risk Storming
Paper illustration for Alignment Mapping.
Facilitation
Alignment Mapping
Purposedifferent
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.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.Helps clarify architecture context, options, and consequences in concrete terms. It organizes technical context, alternatives, and consequences. The result is captured as an Annotated Diagram, a Prioritized Risk List, and an Action Backlog.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.
Complexitydifferent
MediumHighLowMedium
Timedifferent
45-90 minSeveral meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope60-90 min1-2 h
Participantsdifferent
3-8Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders4-124-12
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Impact Map, Outcome Hypotheses, Delivery OptionsPrioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigationsAnnotated Diagram, Prioritized Risk List, Action BacklogAlignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions
Tagsno overlap
OutcomesStrategyBehaviorPlanning
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
RiskArchitectureWorkshopValidation
AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation
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