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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  UX Research Tree Testing |  UX Research HEART Framework |  Product Strategy Counter Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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 a headline metric could mask side effects, it adds guardrail signals against unwanted outcomes. It connects customer value, product logic, and decision priorities. The result is captured as a counter-metric list and guardrail definitions. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1-2 Tage | 120 min initial, dann laufend | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | Based on research question | 3-6 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | HEART-GSM Table, Dashboard | Counter Metric List, Guardrail Definitions |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | Information architectureNavigationFindability | MetricsUX researchMeasurementSatisfaction | MetricsMeasurementStrategyExperiments |