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Selected:Affinity DiagrammingSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Empathy MappingChange Analysis
| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |  Operations Change 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. | SAAM helps teams judge an architecture’s suitability for selected tasks and changes. It is particularly useful for examining modifiability and comparing architecture alternatives with clear reasoning. | 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. | For a deviation after a change, the method isolates the influence of the altered condition. It narrows down which differences are relevant and which are just accompanying noise. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 30–60 min | 45-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 4-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Domain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternatives | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison |