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| Criterion |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Facilitation Stakeholder Salience Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The TOWS Matrix connects internal strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats into action-oriented strategies. It goes a step further than a pure stocktaking. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | 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. | When stakeholders appear to matter very differently, the Stakeholder Salience Model rates their actual priority through power, legitimacy, and urgency. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as a Salience diagram and a class-based strategy. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 15-45 min | 60–90 min | 60-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 1-3 | 2-8 | 3-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | Salience Diagram, Strategy per Class |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisOptions | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | StakeholdersFacilitationAlignmentGovernance |