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| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  UX Research Tree Testing |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |  UX Research First-click Testing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | When a navigation exists but search paths still fail, tree testing checks findability without visual distraction. The method shows whether labels, levels, and paths really lead to the intended destination. | ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification. | When users immediately turn the wrong way on a screen or wireframe, first click testing checks initial orientation at high speed. The first click shows early whether expectation, labeling, and wayfinding fit together. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 1-2 Tage | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | Based on research question | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 10-30 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | Click Heatmap, Success Rate, Design Recommendations |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | Information architectureNavigationFindability | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | UXNavigationFindabilityValidation |