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Selected:Architecture Communication CanvasUsability TestingC4 ModelARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)
| Criterion | ![]() Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas | ![]() UX Research Usability Testing | ![]() Architecture C4 Model | ![]() Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 60-120 min | 1-2 h je Session | 1-4 h | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Based on research question | 1-5 | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan | Usability Issues, Severity List, Recommendations | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas | ValidationUXPrototype | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks |



