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| Criterion |  UX Research First-click Testing |  UX Research Card Sorting |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |  UX Research Tree Testing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When users immediately turn the wrong way on a screen or wireframe, first click testing checks initial orientation at high speed. The first click shows early whether expectation, labeling, and wayfinding fit together. | 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. | 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 | Low | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 20-45 min | 30–60 min | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 10-30 | Based on research question | 4-8 | Based on research question |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Async |
Outputdifferent | Click Heatmap, Success Rate, Design Recommendations | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA |
Tagsno overlap | UXNavigationFindabilityValidation | Information architectureNavigationStructure | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop | Information architectureNavigationFindability |