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| Criterion | ![]() Architecture arc42 | ![]() UX Research User Interviews | ![]() UX Research Personas | ![]() Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 target groups stay too vague and teams talk about the same people differently, personas create a shared, solid picture of usage. Condensed profiles make needs, contexts, and differences tangible enough for decisions. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 30–60 min per interview | 1-3 Tage | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 1 participant per interview | Internes Team | 2-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary | Persona Profiles, Needs Summary, Scenario Notes | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery | ResearchCustomerSynthesis | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas |



