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| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Decision Making Decision Rights Mapping |  Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | 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. | In organizations with many stakeholders, it often blurs who actually decides and who is merely consulted. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Decision Rights matrix and an agreement. | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 15-45 min | 90-180 min | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 1-3 | 4-12 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Decision Rights Matrix, Agreement | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |