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Criterion
Paper illustration showing three sorted card stacks and an open question about a possible group.
UX Research
Card Sorting
Paper illustration for Contradiction Analysis.
Innovation
Contradiction Analysis
Paper illustration for TRIZ
Innovation
TRIZ
Paper illustration of a branching category tree with a highlighted search path and possible dead ends.
UX Research
Tree Testing
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 a system should improve while another measure suffers as a result, the method makes the underlying conflict precisely formulable. It separates the desired effect from its side effect. This makes solutions possible that address the contradiction deliberately instead of half-heartedly.For technical contradictions or trade-offs, the method looks for solutions that resolve opposing requirements at the same time. It translates limits into an explicit picture of conflict that becomes workable. This produces not just compromises but more elegant principles.When a navigation exists but search paths still fail, tree testing checks findability without visual distraction. The method shows whether labels, levels, and paths really lead to the intended destination.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumHighMedium
Timedifferent
20-45 min60-120 min1-4 h1-2 Tage
Participantsdifferent
Based on research question2-82-8Based on research question
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + asyncAsync
Outputdifferent
Content groups, Label set, IA hypothesesContradiction Statement, Abstraction Notes, Solution Principles, Concept IdeasContradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution ConceptsFindability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA
Tagsno overlap
Information architectureNavigationStructure
ContradictionsInnovationProblem solving
InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity
Information architectureNavigationFindability
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