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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1-2 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 3-8 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |
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