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Selected:Card SortingATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)5 WhysFailure Mode and Effects Analysis
| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When content only makes sense internally and users can't find the structure again, card sorting exposes their mental order. Terms, groups, and naming are then aligned with the target group's expectations. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 15-30 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 2-6 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |