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| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Architecture arc42 |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 1-2 Tage | 1-4 h | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 1-4 | 3-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas |