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Selected:Customer Journey MappingArchitecture Decision RecordCommunication PlanATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
| Criterion |  UX Research Customer Journey Mapping |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Delivery Communication Plan |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a user journey falls apart across many touchpoints, customer journey mapping makes the experience visible as a coherent arc. Phases, emotions, and breaks become legible enough to prioritize critical moments deliberately. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | When many people need to be informed in parallel and messages would otherwise arrive unevenly or too late, a Communication Plan orders communication reliably. Channels, audiences, and cadences interlock so important information doesn't get lost. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | 15-45 min | 45-90 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 1-3 | 2-6 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Journey Map, Pain-point List, Opportunity Backlog | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Communication Plan, Channel Matrix, Message Cadence | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations |
Tagsno overlap | JourneyServiceService design | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | CommunicationStakeholdersDeliveryPlanning | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |