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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Innovation Design Thinking |  Innovation Rapid Ideation |  Innovation Brainstorming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 a decision needs to be prepared quickly, the method generates many solution-close variants in a short time. It deliberately relies on pace to undercut self-censorship and perfectionism. This quickly produces a usable field for prioritization and further work. | When a team faces an open question with many obvious directions, the method first creates breadth instead of premature commitment. It separates idea flow from evaluation and makes lines of thought visible, creating a pool for selection and further development. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | 5-20 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 4-10 | 1-20 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Ideenpool, Roh-Shortlist, Cluster | Idea pool, Theme clusters, Shortlist |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | InnovationPrototypeResearch | BrainstormingIdeationDivergenceSpeed | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityWorkshopDivergence |