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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|
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. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |
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