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| Criterion |  Innovation Design Thinking |  UX Research Card Sorting |  UX Research Usability Testing |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | 20-45 min | 1-2 h je Session |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | Based on research question | Based on research question |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Usability Issues, Severity List, Recommendations |
Tagsno overlap | InnovationPrototypeResearch | Information architectureNavigationStructure | ValidationUXPrototype |
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