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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)
Paper illustration for Trade-off Analysis.
Decision Making
Trade-off Analysis
Architecture Communication Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Architecture Communication Canvas
Paper illustration of a decision table with criteria rows, weighted ratings, and a narrowly leading alternative.
Decision Making
Decision Matrix
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.With limited resources, quality, speed, cost, and risk almost always compete with each other. Trade-off Analysis makes these tensions explicit and prevents decisions from producing hidden side effects.The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design.When several options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared logic.
Complexitysame
MediumMediumMediumMedium
Timedifferent
3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional45-120 min60-120 min45-90 min
Participantsdifferent
1 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people2-82-82-8
Formatsame
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
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 checksTrade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted DownsidesCommunication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication PlanDecision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected Option
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean
TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions
ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas
DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs
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