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Selected:Tree TestingEmpathy MappingARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)Affinity Diagramming
| Criterion |  UX Research Tree Testing |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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. | ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification. | When research notes, feedback, or observations sit unconnected side by side, affinity diagramming sorts the raw material into solid themes. Many individual points turn into patterns that make decisions and opportunities clearer. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 30–60 min | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 45–90 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 4-8 | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationFindability | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause |