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| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Product Discovery Opportunity Solution Tree |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture C4 Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 discovery keeps swinging between goals, ideas, and learning loops, it creates clear steering logic. It connects the desired outcome, opportunities, and experiments into a legible structure. | 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. | The C4 Model makes a system legible across several resolution levels, from context down to code. It suits situations where different audiences need to understand the same architecture from different altitudes. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 1-2 h Setup, laufend | 1-2 Tage | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-6 | 1-4 | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Opportunity Solution Tree, Experiment Backlog, Learning Log | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | DiscoveryOutcomesExperimentsOpportunity | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |