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Criterion
Paper illustration for TOWS Matrix.
Business Strategy
TOWS Matrix
Paper illustration for Decision Framing Workshop.
Decision Making
Decision Framing Workshop
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 Alignment Mapping.
Facilitation
Alignment Mapping
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.When a decision is poorly framed, even good answers deliver little value. A Decision Framing Workshop sharpens the problem, goal, and boundaries before the actual weighing begins.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.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.
Complexitysame
MediumMediumMediumMedium
Timedifferent
1-2 h60-120 min3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional1-2 h
Participantsdifferent
3-104-101 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people4-12
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority ActionsDecision Frame, Decision Question, Criteria List, Evidence PlanLean 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 checksAlignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions
Tagsno overlap
StrategyAnalysisOptions
Decision framingAlignmentCriteriaOptions
ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean
AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation
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