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Selected:User InterviewsATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Problem Framing WorkshopAlignment Mapping
| Criterion |  UX Research User Interviews |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Facilitation Problem Framing Workshop |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | When a team works on symptoms but the real question stays fuzzy, a Problem Framing Workshop sharpens the view of the right problem. It separates observation, interpretation, and target picture from each other. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30–60 min per interview | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 60-120 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1 participant per interview | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 4-10 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Problem Statement, Scope Boundaries, Assumption List, Next Analysis Questions | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | FacilitationAlignmentDiscovery | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |