methodatlas
Compare

View methods side by side.

Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.

Criterion
A paper-based illustration representing arc42 with its core stages and visible working result.
Architecture
arc42
Paper illustration of two people facing each other, speech bubbles and an open interview notebook.
UX Research
User Interviews
Views and Beyond method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Views and Beyond
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.Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question.
Complexitydifferent
LowLowMedium
Timedifferent
1-2 Tage30–60 min per interview1-3 Tage
Participantsdifferent
1-41 participant per interview1-4
Formatsame
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment ViewInterview Notes, Themes, Insight SummaryArchitecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication
QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery
DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture
Add more methods

Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Architecture Communication Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Architecture Communication Canvas
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
A paper-based illustration representing C4 Model with its core stages and visible working result.
Architecture
C4 Model