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| Criterion |  UX Research Tree Testing |  UX Research Contextual Inquiry |  UX Research Diary Study |  UX Research First-click Testing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 work processes are known only from accounts and the real context stays hidden, Contextual Inquiry makes behavior at the workplace visible. Observation and follow-up questions together show how people actually work, get interrupted, and improvise. | 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 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 1-3 Wochen | 1-4 Wochen | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 4-12 Beobachtungen | 5-20 | 10-30 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain Points | Diary Entries, Longitudinal Patterns, Experience Timeline | Click Heatmap, Success Rate, Design Recommendations |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationFindability | UX researchObservationContext | UX researchTrackingBehavior | UXNavigationFindabilityValidation |