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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Product Discovery Context Canvas |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |  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. | When an environment of users, systems, and constraints is hard to grasp, it puts the context compactly on the table. It creates a clear reading of influence, boundary, and dependency. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 45-90 min | 60-120 min | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 3-10 | 2-8 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Context canvas, Open questions, Shared context notes | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | ContextFramingRequirementsCanvas | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |