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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  UX Research Usability Testing |  Innovation Design Thinking |  Product Discovery Solution Interview |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 product is built but people get stuck on tasks, usability testing shows the friction at concrete points. Observed use instead of self-report makes visible where orientation, understanding, or interaction breaks down. | For complex user problems with an uncertain cause, the method connects observation, interpretation, and experiment into a learning cycle. It keeps the focus on real needs and avoids premature solution language. This produces robust decisions for product and service. | When a solution idea is already on the table, it checks how it is understood and evaluated. It looks for resonance, objections, and missing fit early in the conversation. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1-2 h je Session | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | 30-60 min je Interview |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | Based on research question | 4-10 | 5-10 Interviews |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Usability Issues, Severity List, Recommendations | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Solution Feedback, Objection List, Validation Notes |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | ValidationUXPrototype | InnovationPrototypeResearch | ValidationInterviewsPrototype |