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| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  UX Research User Interviews |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Architecture C4 Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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. | 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. | The C4 Model makes a system legible across several resolution levels, from context down to code. It suits situations where different audiences need to understand the same architecture from different altitudes. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 30–60 min per interview | 45–90 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 1 participant per interview | 3-10 | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |