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Selected:ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)A3 Problem SolvingAffinity DiagrammingEmpathy Mapping
| Criterion |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. | 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 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 | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 45-90 min | 45–90 min | 30–60 min |
Participantsdifferent | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 2-5 | 3-10 | 4-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop |