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| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Operations Scatter Diagram |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 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 the question is whether two measures are related, the method makes patterns in the data picture visible. It separates felt correlations from relationships that actually show up in the data. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 45–90 min | 30-90 min | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 3-10 | 1-4 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Scatter Plot, Korrelationsnotiz, Hypothesenliste | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | Root causeQualityVisualization | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |