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| Criterion |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |  Business Strategy GAP Analysis |  Decision Making Decision Rights 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. | GAP Analysis compares the current state with a target picture and makes the distance manageable. It becomes useful when, ahead of new initiatives, it must become clear which capabilities, processes, or resources are missing. | In organizations with many stakeholders, it often blurs who actually decides and who is merely consulted. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Decision Rights matrix and an agreement. | 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 | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 1-3 h | 90-180 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 4-12 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | Decision Rights Matrix, Agreement | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisOptions | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |