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Criterion
Paper illustration for Contextual Inquiry.
UX Research
Contextual Inquiry
Paper illustration for DACI
Decision Making
DACI
Paper illustration of Request for Comments (RFC) with its method-specific working model.
Architecture
Request for Comments
Purposedifferent
When work processes are known only from accounts and the real context stays hidden, Contextual Inquiry makes behavior at the workplace visible. Observation and follow-up questions together show how people actually work, get interrupted, and improvise.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.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.
Complexitydifferent
MediumLowMedium
Timedifferent
1-3 Wochen30-60 min1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung
Participantsdifferent
4-12 Beobachtungen2-103-20 Reviewer
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncAsync
Outputdifferent
Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain PointsDACI Matrix, Decision Owner, Decision LogRFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets
Tagsno overlap
UX researchObservationContext
DecisionRolesGovernanceAlignment
ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration of Decision Rights Mapping with its method-specific working model.
Decision Making
Decision Rights Mapping
Paper illustration for RAPID
Decision Making
RAPID
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Architecture Inception Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Architecture Inception Canvas