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Selected:Quality Attribute WorkshopATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Affinity DiagrammingEmpathy Mapping
| Criterion |  Architecture Quality Attribute Workshop |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | A Quality Attribute Workshop translates quality requirements into concrete scenarios and architecture impulses. The method brings product, engineering, and operations to the same view of desired properties. | 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 research notes, feedback, or observations sit unconnected side by side, affinity diagramming sorts the raw material into solid themes. Many individual points turn into patterns that make decisions and opportunities clearer. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 45–90 min | 30–60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 5-15 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-10 | 4-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Quality Scenarios, Priority List, Architecture Concerns | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps |
Tagsno overlap | RequirementsArchitectureWorkshop | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop |