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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Architecture C4 Model |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | 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 problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1-4 h | 30-60 min | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 1-5 | 2-8 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | Root causeQualityOperations | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |