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Criterion
Paper illustration for Change Analysis.
Operations
Change Analysis
Paper illustration of a participant using a prototype while an observer takes notes beside a highlighted usability issue.
UX Research
Usability Testing
Paper illustration showing three sorted card stacks and an open question about a possible group.
UX Research
Card Sorting
Paper illustration with architecture components and concrete change tasks for comparison.
Architecture
SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
Purposedifferent
For a deviation after a change, the method isolates the influence of the altered condition. It narrows down which differences are relevant and which are just accompanying noise.When a product is built but people get stuck on tasks, usability testing shows the friction at concrete points. Observed use instead of self-report makes visible where orientation, understanding, or interaction breaks down.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.SAAM helps teams judge an architecture’s suitability for selected tasks and changes. It is particularly useful for examining modifiability and comparing architecture alternatives with clear reasoning.
Complexitydifferent
MediumMediumLowHigh
Timedifferent
45-120 min1-2 h je Session20-45 minPreparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope
Participantsdifferent
2-6Based on research questionBased on research questionArchitecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting
Formatsame
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action ListUsability Issues, Severity List, RecommendationsContent groups, Label set, IA hypothesesDomain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternatives
Tagsno overlap
ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison
ValidationUXPrototype
Information architectureNavigationStructure
ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality
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