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Criterion
Paper illustration of a participant using a prototype while an observer takes notes beside a highlighted usability issue.
UX Research
Usability Testing
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Paper illustration for Smoke Test.
Product Discovery
Smoke Test
Purposedifferent
When a product is built but people get stuck on tasks, usability testing shows the friction at concrete points. Observed use instead of self-report makes visible where orientation, understanding, or interaction breaks down.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 demand only needs to be roughly verified, it tests interest with minimal effort. It measures whether people would take a next step at all.
Complexitydifferent
MediumLowLow
Timedifferent
1-2 h je Session15-45 min1-5 Tage
Participantsdifferent
Based on research question1-3Nutzertraffic
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncAsyncAsync
Outputdifferent
Usability Issues, Severity List, RecommendationsADR File, Decision Log, RationaleInterest Metrics, Conversion Signal, Learning Note
Tagsno overlap
ValidationUXPrototype
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
ValidationExperimentsDemandGrowth
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Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration for Fake Door Test
Product Discovery
Fake Door Test
Design sheets and interface cards connect to jointly written pseudocode with highlighted unresolved questions.
Architecture
ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)