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Selected:TOWS MatrixLASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)Architecture Decision RecordSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
| Criterion |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |  Architecture LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews) |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional | 15-45 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 1 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people | 1-3 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | Lean 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 checks | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | 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 |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisOptions | ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality |