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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |  Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | When content only makes sense internally and users can't find the structure again, card sorting exposes their mental order. Terms, groups, and naming are then aligned with the target group's expectations. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 20-45 min | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | Based on research question | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 1-4 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | Information architectureNavigationStructure | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |