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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Innovation Design Thinking |  Innovation Lean Startup |
|---|---|---|---|
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 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. | For uncertain business assumptions, the method forces the idea into contact with real market reactions early. It separates wishful picture, assumption, and observable behavior, so that learning becomes faster than planning. This translates uncertainty into measurable insight. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | Wochen bis Monate je Lernzyklus |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 4-10 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Hypothesis list, MVPs, Learning reports, Pivot or persevere decision |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | InnovationPrototypeResearch | LeanStartupValidationMVP |
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.
