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| Criterion |  UX Research Tree Testing |  Decision Making Risk Matrix |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  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 a project faces many possible disruptions, it quickly becomes unclear which risks deserve attention first. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Risk Matrix and a Top Risk List. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | 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 | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 30-60 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 20-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 3-10 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | Based on research question |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | Risk Matrix, Top Risk List | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationFindability | RiskDecisionPrioritizationAssessment | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | Information architectureNavigationStructure |