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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Decision Making RAPID |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Decision Making DACI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | In complex management decisions, clarity is often missing about who recommends, who agrees, and who makes the decision. RAPID creates this assignment and stabilizes decisions across several levels. | 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. | In cross-functional decisions, responsibilities quickly blur between approval, influence, and execution. DACI arranges these roles so decision pressure, contribution, and information stay cleanly separated. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 45-90 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 3-12 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 2-10 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | RAPID Role Map, Recommendation, Decision Log | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | DACI Matrix, Decision Owner, Decision Log |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | DecisionRolesGovernance | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | DecisionRolesGovernanceAlignment |