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Criterion
Paper illustration for 3-Circle Venn Diagram
Facilitation
3-Circle Venn Diagram
Paper illustration with architecture components and concrete change tasks for comparison.
Architecture
SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Alignment Mapping.
Facilitation
Alignment Mapping
Paper illustration of the McKinsey 7S Framework with seven connected fields
Business Strategy
McKinsey 7S
Purposedifferent
When three perspectives matter at the same time, a Three-Circle Venn Diagram shows the overlaps and remainders precisely. It makes visible where shared effect arises and where only a partial perspective applies.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.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.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
LowHighMediumMedium
Timedifferent
15-45 minPreparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope1-2 h2-4 h
Participantsdifferent
2-8Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting4-123-12
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Venn Diagram, Overlap Notes, DifferentiatorsDomain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternativesAlignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions7S Assessment, Alignment Gaps, Change Actions
Tagsno overlap
ComparisonFacilitationAlignment
ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality
AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation
OrganizationStrategyAlignmentChange
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