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| Criterion |  Innovation Design Sprint |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  UX Research Card Sorting |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 research notes, feedback, or observations sit unconnected side by side, affinity diagramming sorts the raw material into solid themes. Many individual points turn into patterns that make decisions and opportunities clearer. | 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 lot is assumed about a target group but little is seen jointly, empathy mapping makes knowledge and gaps directly comparable. The picture also shows which assumptions hold up and where evidence is missing. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 4-5 Tage | 45–90 min | 20-45 min | 30–60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 5-8 | 3-10 | Based on research question | 4-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Prototype, Test Findings, Decision Rationale | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps |
Tagsno overlap | Design sprintPrototypeValidationInnovation | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | Information architectureNavigationStructure | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop |