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| Criterion |  Knowledge Modeling IBIS |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Knowledge Modeling Knowledge Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | IBIS structures thinking about complex questions as a sequence of issues, ideas, and arguments. The method keeps discussions open without forcing them into premature consensus. | 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. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | Knowledge Mapping makes knowledge, gaps, and transfer paths visible across a field. It fits when expertise should not just exist but also be findable and transferable. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 20-45 min | 45-90 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Based on research question | 2-8 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Issue Map, Positions, Argument Notes | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Knowledge Map, Critical Knowledge Areas, Transfer Plan |
Tagsno overlap | RationaleKnowledgeDecision | Information architectureNavigationStructure | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | KnowledgeMappingRisk |