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Criterion
Empathy Mapping
UX Research
Empathy Mapping
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration of two people facing each other, speech bubbles and an open interview notebook.
UX Research
User Interviews
Purposedifferent
When a lot is assumed about a target group but little is seen jointly, empathy mapping makes knowledge and gaps directly comparable. The picture also shows which assumptions hold up and where evidence is missing.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.When teams derive needs only from assumptions and real motives are missing, user interviews give direct access to behavior and meaning. Conversations from the target group's everyday life make patterns, tensions, and open questions solidly visible.
Complexitydifferent
LowHighLow
Timedifferent
30–60 minSeveral meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope30–60 min per interview
Participantsdifferent
4-8Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders1 participant per interview
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research GapsPrioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigationsInterview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary
Tagsno overlap
SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery
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Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Four paper stations connect system purpose, quality goals, risk cards and focused investigation with a target and gap profile.
Architecture
LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)
Paper illustration for Risk Storming.
Architecture
Risk Storming
Affinity Diagramming
UX Research
Affinity Diagramming