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Selected:Card SortingATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Architecture Inception CanvasSoftware Architecture Canvas
| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails. | The Software Architecture Canvas reduces a system to the most important architecture decisions, constraints, and interfaces. It is useful when teams need a resilient overall picture quickly. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 1-2 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-8 | 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 | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop |