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Criterion
Paper illustration for TOWS Matrix.
Business Strategy
TOWS Matrix
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)
Stakeholder Mapping
Facilitation
Stakeholder 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.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 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.
Complexitydifferent
MediumMediumLow
Timedifferent
1-2 h3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional60–90 min
Participantsdifferent
3-101 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people2-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority ActionsLean 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 checksStakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes
Tagsno overlap
StrategyAnalysisOptions
ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean
StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange
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Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration for Alignment Mapping.
Facilitation
Alignment Mapping
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration with architecture components and concrete change tasks for comparison.
Architecture
SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
Paper illustration of the McKinsey 7S Framework with seven connected fields
Business Strategy
McKinsey 7S