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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  UX Research Tree Testing |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |
|---|---|---|---|
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 a navigation exists but search paths still fail, tree testing checks findability without visual distraction. The method shows whether labels, levels, and paths really lead to the intended destination. | 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 | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 1-2 Tage | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | Based on research question | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | Information architectureNavigationFindability | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks |
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