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Criterion
Affinity Diagramming
UX Research
Affinity Diagramming
A paper-based illustration representing Customer Journey Canvas with its core stages and visible working result.
UX Design
Customer Journey Canvas
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Operations
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
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.When a journey needs to be understood across several phases, it arranges experience, touchpoints, and opportunities into one picture. It makes gaps and friction along the user path clear.ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation.For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumHighHigh
Timedifferent
45–90 min1-3 hSeveral meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope2-6 h
Participantsdifferent
3-103-10Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders3-10
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areasCustomer Journey Canvas, Pain Points, Experience OpportunitiesPrioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigationsFMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions
Tagsno overlap
SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause
JourneyCustomerService designCanvas
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause
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