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| Criterion |  UX Research User Interviews |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Decision Making DACI |  Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When teams derive needs only from assumptions and real motives are missing, user interviews give direct access to behavior and meaning. Conversations from the target group's everyday life make patterns, tensions, and open questions solidly visible. | 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. | In cross-functional decisions, responsibilities quickly blur between approval, influence, and execution. DACI arranges these roles so decision pressure, contribution, and information stay cleanly separated. | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 30–60 min per interview | 15-45 min | 30-60 min | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 1 participant per interview | 1-3 | 2-10 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | DACI Matrix, Decision Owner, Decision Log | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | DecisionRolesGovernanceAlignment | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |