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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  UX Research First-click Testing |  Architecture Request for Comments |  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 users immediately turn the wrong way on a screen or wireframe, first click testing checks initial orientation at high speed. The first click shows early whether expectation, labeling, and wayfinding fit together. | An RFC clarifies architecture context, options, and consequences. It structures technical context, alternatives, tradeoffs, open questions, and review feedback, and captures the result as an RFC document, reviewer comments, and a decision rationale. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1-2 Tage | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 10-30 | 3-20 Reviewer | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Click Heatmap, Success Rate, Design Recommendations | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | UXNavigationFindabilityValidation | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |