View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Product Discovery Context Canvas |  UX Research Contextual Inquiry |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When an environment of users, systems, and constraints is hard to grasp, it puts the context compactly on the table. It creates a clear reading of influence, boundary, and dependency. | When work processes are known only from accounts and the real context stays hidden, Contextual Inquiry makes behavior at the workplace visible. Observation and follow-up questions together show how people actually work, get interrupted, and improvise. | 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 | Low | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 45-90 min | 1-3 Wochen | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 3-10 | 4-12 Beobachtungen | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Context canvas, Open questions, Shared context notes | Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain Points | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | ContextFramingRequirementsCanvas | UX researchObservationContext | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas |