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Selected:TOWS MatrixSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Decision Framing WorkshopAlignment Mapping
| Criterion |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Decision Framing Workshop |  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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 60-120 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 4-10 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | 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 | Decision Frame, Decision Question, Criteria List, Evidence Plan | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisOptions | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Decision framingAlignmentCriteriaOptions | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |