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| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Systems Thinking Leverage Points |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Business Strategy McKinsey 7S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | Leverage Points show exactly where interventions in a system produce a disproportionate effect. It draws relationships, patterns, and feedback loops. The result is captured as a leverage map and action strategy. | When an initiative depends on many people, interests, and power dynamics, Stakeholder Mapping systematically orders the environment. It shows who influences, who is affected, and where relationship management or safeguarding matters first. | McKinsey 7S checks whether Strategy, Structure, Systems, Shared Values, Skills, Style, and Staff fit together. Organizational misalignments become visible across multiple levers as a result. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | Half day | 60–90 min | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-12 | 2-8 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | 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 | Leverage Map, Action Strategy | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | 7S Assessment, Alignment Gaps, Change Actions |
Tags1 shared | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Systems thinkingChangeStrategy | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | OrganizationStrategyAlignmentChange |