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| Criterion | ![]() Innovation Lean Startup | ![]() Decision Making Assumption Surfacing | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) | ![]() Product Strategy Lean Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For uncertain business assumptions, the method forces the idea into contact with real market reactions early. It separates wishful picture, assumption, and observable behavior, so that learning becomes faster than planning. This translates uncertainty into measurable insight. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | 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 an early product bet still has too many open points, it brings target group, problem, and assumptions into a single view. It condenses the idea so core risks become nameable. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | Wochen bis Monate je Lernzyklus | 45-90 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 1-6 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Hypothesis list, MVPs, Learning reports, Pivot or persevere decision | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Lean Canvas, Core Assumptions, Experiment Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | LeanStartupValidationMVP | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | StartupLeanAssumptionsBusiness model |



