Solution Trade-off Table.
WS05 compares solution options side by side — including the always-evaluated "do nothing" option. Each option gets pros, cons, risks, assumptions, and an explicit mapping to WS04 Business Objective. The output feeds WS06 Decision Matrix and the BRD.
Purpose
Programs that propose a single solution in the BRD have usually pre-selected the solution without analysis. WS05 enforces option analysis — at least two credible alternatives, plus do-nothing — so the recommended option is a choice rather than a foregone conclusion.
When to use
After WS04 Business Objective. Options must be compared against the aim; without the aim locked, "better" is subjective.
Template
Columns for each option:
| Option name | Short recognizable label (e.g., "Rebuild", "Refactor in place", "Buy") |
|---|---|
| Description | One paragraph; what this option actually entails |
| Pros | Why this option advances the aim |
| Cons | Where it falls short or creates new problems |
| Risks | What could go wrong, with likelihood and impact |
| Assumptions | What has to be true for this option to work |
| Cost/effort estimate | Order-of-magnitude, not precise — refine in planning |
| Schedule estimate | Order-of-magnitude timeline |
| Recommendation flag | Mark the preferred option (one of them) |
Include a "do nothing" row. Most programs that skip this row are overstating the urgency of change.