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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  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. | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. | 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 | 1-4 h | 45–90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 3-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause |
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