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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Product Discovery Smoke Test |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | When demand only needs to be roughly verified, it tests interest with minimal effort. It measures whether people would take a next step at all. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 20-45 min | 1-5 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | Based on research question | Nutzertraffic |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Interest Metrics, Conversion Signal, Learning Note |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | Information architectureNavigationStructure | ValidationExperimentsDemandGrowth |
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