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Selected:Customer Journey MappingC4 ModelATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Communication Plan
| Criterion | ![]() UX Research Customer Journey Mapping | ![]() Architecture C4 Model | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) | ![]() Delivery Communication Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | 1-4 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 1-5 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Journey Map, Pain-point List, Opportunity Backlog | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Communication Plan, Channel Matrix, Message Cadence |
Tagsno overlap | JourneyServiceService design | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | CommunicationStakeholdersDeliveryPlanning |



