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Selected:Usability TestingArchitecture Communication CanvasC4 ModelATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
| Criterion | ![]() UX Research Usability Testing | ![]() Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas | ![]() Architecture C4 Model | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a product is built but people get stuck on tasks, usability testing shows the friction at concrete points. Observed use instead of self-report makes visible where orientation, understanding, or interaction breaks down. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. | 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. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h je Session | 60-120 min | 1-4 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 2-8 | 1-5 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Usability Issues, Severity List, Recommendations | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations |
Tagsno overlap | ValidationUXPrototype | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |



