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Criterion
Paper illustration of Working Backwards with its method-specific working model.
Product Discovery
Working Backwards
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper board with the four ROAM fields Resolved, Owned, Accepted, and Mitigated.
Agile
ROAM Board
Paper illustration for Alignment Mapping.
Facilitation
Alignment Mapping
Purposedifferent
When the target state and benefit need to be clear first, it thinks backward from the desired outcome into the product logic. It sharpens vision, objections, and value proposition before elaboration.ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation.When work needs to move between different states or columns, it makes that movement and its handoffs legible. It sorts work by value, risk, and delivery ability. The result is captured as a ROAM Board and an Owner List.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
MediumHighLowMedium
Timedifferent
4-8 h, mehrere IterationenSeveral meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope20-40 min initial, dann laufend1-2 h
Participantsdifferent
2-6Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders3-154-12
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Future Press Release, FAQ, Vision StatementPrioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigationsROAM Board, Owner ListAlignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions
Tagsno overlap
VisionNarrativeAlignment
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
RiskAgileTrackingAlignment
AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation
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