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Selected:Card SortingTree TestingATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  UX Research Tree Testing |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | High | High |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1-2 Tage | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | Based on research question | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | Information architectureNavigationFindability | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |