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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Innovation Design Sprint |  UX Research Tree Testing |  Innovation Design Thinking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 the product question is unclear and time pressure is high, the method takes a team from an open idea to a testable solution. It connects problem understanding, decision, and learning in one compact format, lowering the risk of spending a lot of energy on a mere guess. | 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. | For complex user problems with an uncertain cause, the method connects observation, interpretation, and experiment into a learning cycle. It keeps the focus on real needs and avoids premature solution language. This produces robust decisions for product and service. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 4-5 Tage | 1-2 Tage | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 5-8 | Based on research question | 4-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Prototype, Test Findings, Decision Rationale | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | Design sprintPrototypeValidationInnovation | Information architectureNavigationFindability | InnovationPrototypeResearch |