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| Criterion |  UX Research Tree Testing |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Knowledge Modeling Knowledge Mapping |  Product Discovery Assumption Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | 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. | 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. | When assumptions still sit unordered in the room, it weighs uncertainty against leverage. It makes visible which hypotheses should be checked first. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 20-45 min | 1-3 h | 45-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | Based on research question | 3-12 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Knowledge Map, Critical Knowledge Areas, Transfer Plan | Assumption map, Test backlog, Risk ranking |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationFindability | Information architectureNavigationStructure | KnowledgeMappingRisk | AssumptionsRiskExperimentsValidation |