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| Criterion |  Architecture Request for Comments |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | An RFC clarifies architecture context, options, and consequences. It structures technical context, alternatives, tradeoffs, open questions, and review feedback, and captures the result as an RFC document, reviewer comments, and a decision rationale. | 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. | 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. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 20-45 min | 1-2 Tage | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 Reviewer | Based on research question | 1-4 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | Information architectureNavigationStructure | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas |