FAQ for LASR

LASR (short for Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews) is a lean and structured method for conducting software and architecture reviews. It aims to quickly highlight the most significant risks and opportunities for improvement within a system.

LASR was developed by software architecture experts Stefan Toth and Stefan Zörner. It draws on their extensive hands-on experience from conducting numerous software reviews and combines proven techniques and principles with a lightweight approach. The first publication on LASR was their book released on LeanPub in 2023, followed by numerous articles, talks, and workshops.

No, LASR is free to use. The method and its accompanying materials are available under an open license, allowing unrestricted use — even in commercial projects.

Unlike traditional approaches like ATAM, which typically involve many participants and require extensive preparation, LASR is lightweight, fast, and does not rely on external moderation. It delivers initial results quickly—results that are easy to communicate and can be further refined through targeted follow-up analyses as needed.

A LASR review typically takes just a few hours and can be conducted as a half-day workshop. By step 3, you’ll already have an initial result — a first impression of key risks and opportunities — which can then be refined and deepened in step 4 through focused analysis.

LASR is designed for development teams who want to examine their own software solution. It works especially well with a small group of three to four people. Involving someone with product responsibility — such as a Product Owner — during the first two steps has proven particularly valuable. That said, LASR is flexible and can be adapted to a variety of settings — from solo sessions to larger groups.

The core outcome is a concise results diagram — a visual gap profile in the form of a spider chart. At a glance, it highlights potential weaknesses or risks, structured according to the system’s key quality goals. Along the way, additional content is created on both the target and solution sides. If needed, you and your team can expand and organize this material further — for example, to develop a compact architectural overview.

All materials — including the LASR cards (Print & Play), templates, and checklists — are available for free download from the community section of the LASR website: https://www.lasr-reviews.org/de/community/. If you prefer a professionally printed card set, you can order one at: https://www.embarc.de/lasr-kartenset-bestellen/.

Yes, LASR is well-suited for remote workshops. The materials are designed with virtual collaboration in mind. Using the provided digital templates and tools, you and your team can conduct a review entirely online—for example, via a video conference combined with a digital whiteboard such as Miro or Mural.

LASR+ is an optional extension of the LASR method that adds two additional activities, each with two steps. These allow for a deeper examination of the software system — for example, through code analysis or by examining relevant organizational factors.

Feel free to reach out to us by email at info@lasr-reviews.org, or use the contact form available on this website. We’ll be happy to help!