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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Architecture LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews) |  Architecture C4 Model |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 1 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people | 1-5 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | 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 | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |
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