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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Empathy MappingFishbone DiagramAffinity Diagramming
| Criterion |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | When a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 30–60 min | 30-60 min | 45–90 min |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 4-8 | 2-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | 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 | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop | Root causeQualityOperations | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause |