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Criterion
Affinity Diagramming
UX Research
Affinity Diagramming
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Paper illustration of two user profile cards with a goal, behavior evidence, and an open research question.
UX Research
Personas
Paper illustration of Request for Comments (RFC) with its method-specific working model.
Architecture
Request for Comments
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.When target groups stay too vague and teams talk about the same people differently, personas create a shared, solid picture of usage. Condensed profiles make needs, contexts, and differences tangible enough for decisions.An RFC clarifies architecture context, options, and consequences. It structures technical context, alternatives, tradeoffs, open questions, and review feedback, and captures the result as an RFC document, reviewer comments, and a decision rationale.
Complexitydifferent
LowLowMediumMedium
Timedifferent
45–90 min15-45 min1-3 Tage1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung
Participantsdifferent
3-101-3Internes Team3-20 Reviewer
Formatdifferent
WorkshopAsyncWorkshop + asyncAsync
Outputdifferent
Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areasADR File, Decision Log, RationalePersona Profiles, Needs Summary, Scenario NotesRFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets
Tagsno overlap
SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
ResearchCustomerSynthesis
ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance
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