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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  UX Research User Interviews |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 teams derive needs only from assumptions and real motives are missing, user interviews give direct access to behavior and meaning. Conversations from the target group's everyday life make patterns, tensions, and open questions solidly visible. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. | The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 30–60 min per interview | 60-120 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 1 participant per interview | 2-8 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas |