methodatlas
Compare

View methods side by side.

Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.

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: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for 8D Problem Solving.
Operations
8D Problem Solving
Paper illustration for Root Cause Analysis.
Operations
Root Cause Analysis
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.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.For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly.When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another.
Complexitydifferent
MediumHighHighMedium
Timedifferent
1-2 h je SessionSeveral meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope1-6 Wochen1-4 h
Participantsdifferent
Based on research questionEvaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders4-103-8
Formatsame
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Usability Issues, Severity List, RecommendationsPrioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action PlanProblem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan
Tagsno overlap
ValidationUXPrototype
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
QualityProblem solvingRoot cause
Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident
Add more methods