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| Criterion |  UX Research Diary Study |  UX Research Card Sorting |  UX Research Usability Testing |  UX Research Tree Testing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When experiences build up over days or weeks and a single session cannot capture them, Diary Study records the course of everyday life. Recurring triggers, moods, and habits become visible this way, beyond the sharpness of memory. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 Wochen | 20-45 min | 1-2 h je Session | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 5-20 | Based on research question | Based on research question | Based on research question |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Diary Entries, Longitudinal Patterns, Experience Timeline | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Usability Issues, Severity List, Recommendations | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchTrackingBehavior | Information architectureNavigationStructure | ValidationUXPrototype | Information architectureNavigationFindability |