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Criterion
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)
Architecture Inception Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Architecture Inception Canvas
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Expectation Mapping.
Facilitation
Expectation Mapping
Purposedifferent
LASR helps development teams identify where their software falls short of important quality goals and which improvements to consider. A small group with existing system knowledge can make an initial assessment and investigate open questions in more detail.The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails.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 roles, interfaces, or projects fail because of differing expectations, Expectation Mapping surfaces these differences. It shows what each side takes for granted and where the pictures diverge.
Complexitydifferent
MediumLowHighLow
Timedifferent
3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional1-2 hSeveral meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope45-90 min
Participantsdifferent
1 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people3-8Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders3-12
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Lean Mission Statement describing the software’s purpose, Prioritized quality goals and evaluation criteria, Risks and estimated gaps against quality goals, More closely examined findings and open checksInception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open QuestionsPrioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigationsExpectation Map, Alignment Notes, Agreements
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean
AlignmentArchitectureCanvas
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
AlignmentStakeholdersTeam
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