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Selected:Architecture Decision RecordCustomer Journey MappingSoftware Architecture CanvasCustomer Journey Canvas
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  UX Research Customer Journey Mapping |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  UX Design Customer Journey Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When a user journey falls apart across many touchpoints, customer journey mapping makes the experience visible as a coherent arc. Phases, emotions, and breaks become legible enough to prioritize critical moments deliberately. | The Software Architecture Canvas reduces a system to the most important architecture decisions, constraints, and interfaces. It is useful when teams need a resilient overall picture quickly. | When a journey needs to be understood across several phases, it arranges experience, touchpoints, and opportunities into one picture. It makes gaps and friction along the user path clear. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 2-4 h | 1-2 h | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 4-10 | 3-10 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Journey Map, Pain-point List, Opportunity Backlog | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Customer Journey Canvas, Pain Points, Experience Opportunities |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | JourneyServiceService design | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | JourneyCustomerService designCanvas |