methodatlas
Compare

View methods side by side.

Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.

Criterion
Paper illustration showing three sorted card stacks and an open question about a possible group.
UX Research
Card Sorting
Paper illustration of a branching category tree with a highlighted search path and possible dead ends.
UX Research
Tree Testing
A hypothetical failure makes concrete risks, signals, and fitting mitigations visible.
Decision Making
Pre-Mortem
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.In early initiatives with many uncertainties, planning quickly turns too optimistic. A pre-mortem makes the expected failure visible in advance and sharpens the view of causes, gaps, and countermeasures.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumLow
Timedifferent
20-45 min1-2 Tage20–45 min
Participantsdifferent
Based on research questionBased on research questionSmall cross-functional group
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncAsyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Content groups, Label set, IA hypothesesFindability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IARisk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption log
Tagsno overlap
Information architectureNavigationStructure
Information architectureNavigationFindability
RiskDecisionFailurePlanning
Add more methods

Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration of an assumption matrix with prioritized test cards
Decision Making
Assumption Surfacing
Paper illustration for Constraint Analysis.
Decision Making
Constraint Analysis
Paper illustration for Failure Scenario Analysis.
Engineering
Failure Scenario Analysis
First-click Testing method illustration showing its working structure
UX Research
First-click Testing