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| Criterion | ![]() UX Research Card Sorting | ![]() Delivery Communication Plan | ![]() Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | When many people need to be informed in parallel and messages would otherwise arrive unevenly or too late, a Communication Plan orders communication reliably. Channels, audiences, and cadences interlock so important information doesn't get lost. | 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 |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 45-90 min | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 2-6 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Communication Plan, Channel Matrix, Message Cadence | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | CommunicationStakeholdersDeliveryPlanning | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |
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