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| Criterion |  UX Research Diary Study |  UX Research Tree Testing |  Innovation Lean Startup |  UX Research Card Sorting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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. | For uncertain business assumptions, the method forces the idea into contact with real market reactions early. It separates wishful picture, assumption, and observable behavior, so that learning becomes faster than planning. This translates uncertainty into measurable insight. | 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 | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 Wochen | 1-2 Tage | Wochen bis Monate je Lernzyklus | 20-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 5-20 | Based on research question | 2-8 | Based on research question |
Formatdifferent | Async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Diary Entries, Longitudinal Patterns, Experience Timeline | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | Hypothesis list, MVPs, Learning reports, Pivot or persevere decision | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchTrackingBehavior | Information architectureNavigationFindability | LeanStartupValidationMVP | Information architectureNavigationStructure |