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| Criterion |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  UX Research User Interviews |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture C4 Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The Software Architecture Canvas reduces a system to the most important architecture decisions, constraints, and interfaces. It is useful when teams need a resilient overall picture quickly. | When teams derive needs only from assumptions and real motives are missing, user interviews give direct access to behavior and meaning. Conversations from the target group's everyday life make patterns, tensions, and open questions solidly visible. | 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 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. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 30–60 min per interview | 1-2 Tage | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 1 participant per interview | 1-4 | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tagsno overlap | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |