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Selected:Architecture Decision RecordARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)Affinity Diagramming
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification. | When research notes, feedback, or observations sit unconnected side by side, affinity diagramming sorts the raw material into solid themes. Many individual points turn into patterns that make decisions and opportunities clearer. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 45–90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause |
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