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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Product Discovery Smoke Test |  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 demand only needs to be roughly verified, it tests interest with minimal effort. It measures whether people would take a next step at all. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 1-5 Tage | 45–90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | Nutzertraffic | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Interest Metrics, Conversion Signal, Learning Note | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ValidationExperimentsDemandGrowth | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause |
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