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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Knowledge Modeling IBIS |  Architecture Request for Comments |  Decision Making Decision Rights Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | IBIS structures thinking about complex questions as a sequence of issues, ideas, and arguments. The method keeps discussions open without forcing them into premature consensus. | 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. | In organizations with many stakeholders, it often blurs who actually decides and who is merely consulted. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Decision Rights matrix and an agreement. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1-3 h | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 90-180 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 2-8 | 3-20 Reviewer | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Issue Map, Positions, Argument Notes | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | Decision Rights Matrix, Agreement |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | RationaleKnowledgeDecision | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility |