Gap Analysis
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when you need to:
- Document current (as-is) architecture
- Define target (to-be) architecture
- Identify gaps between current and target states
- Explore technical migration options
Keywords: gap analysis, current state, target state, as-is, to-be, roadmap, migration, baseline, transition
Scope Warning
IMPORTANT: This analysis covers technical migration options based on code structure. Complete migration planning requires business context including: - Budgets and timelines (external to code) - Organizational structure (external to code) - Technical debt priorities (partially in code) - Resource availability (external to code) Use this as input to broader planning discussions, not as a complete migration strategy.
Gap Analysis Workflow
1. Document Current State (As-Is)
What can be extracted from code (Zachman rows 4-6):
| Aspect | Source | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Technology stack | package.json, pom.xml, etc. | Frameworks, libraries, versions |
| Architecture patterns | Code structure | Monolith, microservices, layers |
| Data storage | Config files | Databases, caches, queues |
| Integration points | API definitions | REST, GraphQL, messaging |
| Infrastructure | IaC files | Cloud resources, networking |
What requires human input (Zachman rows 1-3):
| Aspect | Source Needed |
|---|---|
| Business capabilities | Business documentation |
| Process flows | Stakeholder interviews |
| Strategic alignment | Strategy documents |
2. Define Target State (To-Be)
Target state should include:
- Vision statement: What does success look like?
- Technology targets: Specific technologies, versions
- Architecture targets: Patterns, structures
- Quality attributes: Performance, scalability, security targets
- Constraints: Budget, timeline, compliance requirements
3. Identify Gaps
For each architecture dimension:
| Dimension | Current | Target | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compute | VM-based | Containerized | Container adoption |
| Data | Monolithic DB | Service-per-DB | Database decomposition |
| Integration | Point-to-point | Event-driven | Event mesh implementation |
| ... | ... | ... | ... |
4. Categorize Gaps
Classify each gap by:
Type:
- Technical debt
- Missing capability
- Scalability limitation
- Security vulnerability
- Compliance gap
Complexity:
- Low: Configuration change
- Medium: Code modification
- High: Architectural change
- Very High: Platform migration
Risk:
- Low: Isolated change
- Medium: Cross-component impact
- High: System-wide impact
5. Explore Options
For each gap, document:
## Gap: [Gap Name]
### Current State
[Description of current situation]
### Target State
[Description of desired situation]
### Technical Options
#### Option A: [Name]
- **Approach**: [Description]
- **Pros**: [List]
- **Cons**: [List]
- **Technical complexity**: [Low/Medium/High]
- **Dependencies**: [List]
#### Option B: [Name]
- **Approach**: [Description]
- **Pros**: [List]
- **Cons**: [List]
- **Technical complexity**: [Low/Medium/High]
- **Dependencies**: [List]
### Recommendation
[Technical recommendation with rationale]
### Business Context Required
[What business input is needed to finalize decision]Gap Analysis Output Structure
# Gap Analysis: [System Name]
**Date**: YYYY-MM-DD
**Scope**: [What's included/excluded]
## Scope Limitations
This analysis covers technical migration options based on code structure analysis.
Complete migration planning requires additional business context:
- Budget constraints and approval processes
- Team capacity and skill availability
- Business timeline requirements
- Risk tolerance and compliance needs
These options should inform broader planning discussions, not replace them.
## Current State Summary
[Overview of as-is architecture]
## Target State Summary
[Overview of to-be architecture]
## Gap Inventory
| ID | Gap | Type | Complexity | Priority |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| G1 | ... | ... | ... | TBD |
| G2 | ... | ... | ... | TBD |
## Detailed Gap Analysis
### G1: [Gap Name]
[Detailed analysis per template above]
## Technical Dependencies
[Dependency graph showing which gaps must be addressed first]
## Recommended Sequencing
[Technical sequencing based on dependencies]
## Business Decisions Required
[List of decisions that require business input]Integration with Other Skills
- architecture-documentation: Generate current state documentation
- zachman-analysis: Ensure gaps cover all relevant perspectives
- togaf-guidance: Align with TOGAF Phase E (Opportunities & Solutions)
- adr-management: Create ADRs for gap resolution decisions
Repository Location
Gap analysis documents should be stored at:
/architecture/
gap-analysis.md
/transitions/
transition-1.md
transition-2.mdVersion History
- v1.0.0 (2025-12-05): Initial release
- Current/target state analysis workflow - Gap categorization (type, complexity, risk) - Technical options exploration - Explicit scope limitations (requires business context)
Last Updated
Date: 2025-12-05 Model: claude-opus-4-5-20251101