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| Criterion |  UX Research Contextual Inquiry |  UX Research Tree Testing |  Innovation Design Sprint |  UX Research Card Sorting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When work processes are known only from accounts and the real context stays hidden, Contextual Inquiry makes behavior at the workplace visible. Observation and follow-up questions together show how people actually work, get interrupted, and improvise. | 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. | When the product question is unclear and time pressure is high, the method takes a team from an open idea to a testable solution. It connects problem understanding, decision, and learning in one compact format, lowering the risk of spending a lot of energy on a mere guess. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen | 1-2 Tage | 4-5 Tage | 20-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-12 Beobachtungen | Based on research question | 5-8 | Based on research question |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain Points | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | Prototype, Test Findings, Decision Rationale | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchObservationContext | Information architectureNavigationFindability | Design sprintPrototypeValidationInnovation | Information architectureNavigationStructure |