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| Criterion |  UX Research Diary Study |  Knowledge Modeling IBIS |  Architecture C4 Model |  Decision Making Argument Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When experiences build up over days or weeks and a single session cannot capture them, Diary Study records the course of everyday life. Recurring triggers, moods, and habits become visible this way, beyond the sharpness of memory. | 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. | The C4 Model makes a system legible across several resolution levels, from context down to code. It suits situations where different audiences need to understand the same architecture from different altitudes. | When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 Wochen | 1-3 h | 1-4 h | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 5-20 | 2-8 | 1-5 | 1-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Diary Entries, Longitudinal Patterns, Experience Timeline | Issue Map, Positions, Argument Notes | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchTrackingBehavior | RationaleKnowledgeDecision | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | SensemakingDecisionRationale |