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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Innovation Design Thinking |  Product Discovery Problem Interview |  Innovation Design Sprint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When the picture of the problem still needs to become solid, it asks about real situations and consequences. It separates genuine suffering from mere interest in a solution. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | 30-60 min je Interview | 4-5 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 4-10 | 5-12 Interviews | 5-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Problem Evidence, Risk Notes, Customer Segments | Prototype, Test Findings, Decision Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | InnovationPrototypeResearch | DiscoveryInterviewsValidation | Design sprintPrototypeValidationInnovation |