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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Product Discovery Opportunity Interview |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  UX Research User Interviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 opportunities are still hidden behind signals of need, it structures conversations around needs and obstacles. It looks for patterns that lead to new product opportunities. | 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. | When teams derive needs only from assumptions and real motives are missing, user interviews give direct access to behavior and meaning. Conversations from the target group's everyday life make patterns, tensions, and open questions solidly visible. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 30-60 min je Interview | 45–90 min | 30–60 min per interview |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 5-12 Interviews | 3-10 | 1 participant per interview |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Interview Notes, Opportunity Themes, Customer Quotes | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | DiscoveryInterviewsOpportunityCustomer | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery |