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| Criterion |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |  Business Strategy GAP Analysis |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Operations Change Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | For a deviation after a change, the method isolates the influence of the altered condition. It narrows down which differences are relevant and which are just accompanying noise. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 1-3 h | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 45-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | 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 | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisOptions | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison |