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| Criterion |  UX Research Diary Study |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |  Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When experiences build up over days or weeks and a single session cannot capture them, Diary Study records the course of everyday life. Recurring triggers, moods, and habits become visible this way, beyond the sharpness of memory. | 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 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 | Medium | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 Wochen | 20-45 min | 60-120 min | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 5-20 | Based on research question | 2-8 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Diary Entries, Longitudinal Patterns, Experience Timeline | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchTrackingBehavior | Information architectureNavigationStructure | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |