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Criterion
Paper illustration of Working Backwards with its method-specific working model.
Product Discovery
Working Backwards
Paper illustration with architecture components and concrete change tasks for comparison.
Architecture
SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
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.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 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
MediumHighMedium
Timedifferent
4-8 h, mehrere IterationenPreparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope1-2 h
Participantsdifferent
2-6Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting4-12
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Future Press Release, FAQ, Vision StatementDomain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternativesAlignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions
Tagsno overlap
VisionNarrativeAlignment
ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality
AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Stakeholder Mapping
Facilitation
Stakeholder Mapping
Paper illustration for 3-Circle Venn Diagram
Facilitation
3-Circle Venn Diagram
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration of the McKinsey 7S Framework with seven connected fields
Business Strategy
McKinsey 7S