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| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Product Discovery Opportunity Interview |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 opportunities are still hidden behind signals of need, it structures conversations around needs and obstacles. It looks for patterns that lead to new product opportunities. | 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 a lot is assumed about a target group but little is seen jointly, empathy mapping makes knowledge and gaps directly comparable. The picture also shows which assumptions hold up and where evidence is missing. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 30-60 min je Interview | 15-45 min | 30–60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 5-12 Interviews | 1-3 | 4-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Interview Notes, Opportunity Themes, Customer Quotes | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | DiscoveryInterviewsOpportunityCustomer | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop |