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| Criterion |  UX Research Tree Testing |  Innovation Design Sprint |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  UX Research Card Sorting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 the product question is unclear and time pressure is high, the method takes a team from an open idea to a testable solution. It connects problem understanding, decision, and learning in one compact format, lowering the risk of spending a lot of energy on a mere guess. | 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. | 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 | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 4-5 Tage | 45-90 min | 20-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 5-8 | 2-8 | Based on research question |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | Prototype, Test Findings, Decision Rationale | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationFindability | Design sprintPrototypeValidationInnovation | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | Information architectureNavigationStructure |