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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Change AnalysisAffinity DiagrammingEmpathy Mapping
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Operations Change Analysis |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | SAAM helps teams judge an architecture’s suitability for selected tasks and changes. It is particularly useful for examining modifiability and comparing architecture alternatives with clear reasoning. | For a deviation after a change, the method isolates the influence of the altered condition. It narrows down which differences are relevant and which are just accompanying noise. | 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 | High | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 45-120 min | 45–90 min | 30–60 min |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-6 | 3-10 | 4-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Domain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternatives | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop |