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Selected:User InterviewsChange AnalysisSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Affinity Diagramming
| Criterion |  UX Research User Interviews |  Operations Change Analysis |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | For a deviation after a change, the method isolates the influence of the altered condition. It narrows down which differences are relevant and which are just accompanying noise. | 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 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 | Low | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 30–60 min per interview | 45-120 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 45–90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1 participant per interview | 2-6 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List | 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 | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas |
Tagsno overlap | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause |