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Selected:C4 ModelLASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)Card SortingFailure Mode and Effects Analysis
| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews) |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | LASR helps development teams identify where their software falls short of important quality goals and which improvements to consider. A small group with existing system knowledge can make an initial assessment and investigate open questions in more detail. | 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. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional | 20-45 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 1 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people | Based on research question | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Lean Mission Statement describing the software’s purpose, Prioritized quality goals and evaluation criteria, Risks and estimated gaps against quality goals, More closely examined findings and open checks | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean | Information architectureNavigationStructure | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |