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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  UX Research Personas |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  UX Research Tree Testing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 target groups stay too vague and teams talk about the same people differently, personas create a shared, solid picture of usage. Condensed profiles make needs, contexts, and differences tangible enough for decisions. | When research notes, feedback, or observations sit unconnected side by side, affinity diagramming sorts the raw material into solid themes. Many individual points turn into patterns that make decisions and opportunities clearer. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1-3 Tage | 45–90 min | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | Internes Team | 3-10 | Based on research question |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Async |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Persona Profiles, Needs Summary, Scenario Notes | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | ResearchCustomerSynthesis | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | Information architectureNavigationFindability |