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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  UX Research HEART Framework |  Product Strategy KPI Tree |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Helps clarify observations, needs, and patterns in concrete terms. It groups observations into patterns, questions, and decisions. The result is captured as a HEART-GSM table and dashboard. | When metrics across the organization drift apart, it arranges drivers and effects under one shared logic. It connects customer value, product logic, and decision priorities. The result is captured as a KPI tree and owner list. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 120 min initial, dann laufend | 90-180 min initial, dann laufend | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 3-6 | 3-8 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | HEART-GSM Table, Dashboard | KPI Tree, Owner List | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | MetricsUX researchMeasurementSatisfaction | MetricsStrategyAlignmentMeasurement | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |