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Selected:Architecture Communication CanvasUsability TestingARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
| Criterion | ![]() Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas | ![]() UX Research Usability Testing | ![]() Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. | When a product is built but people get stuck on tasks, usability testing shows the friction at concrete points. Observed use instead of self-report makes visible where orientation, understanding, or interaction breaks down. | 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. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 60-120 min | 1-2 h je Session | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Based on research question | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan | Usability Issues, Severity List, Recommendations | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas | ValidationUXPrototype | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |



