View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Product Strategy Lean Canvas |  UX Research Tree Testing |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 an early product bet still has too many open points, it brings target group, problem, and assumptions into a single view. It condenses the idea so core risks become nameable. | 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 a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 45-90 min | 1-2 Tage | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 1-6 | Based on research question | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Lean Canvas, Core Assumptions, Experiment Backlog | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | StartupLeanAssumptionsBusiness model | Information architectureNavigationFindability | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |