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Selected:Tree TestingSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)First-click TestingARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)
| Criterion |  UX Research Tree Testing |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  UX Research First-click Testing |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | SAAM helps teams judge an architecture’s suitability for selected tasks and changes. It is particularly useful for examining modifiability and comparing architecture alternatives with clear reasoning. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 1-2 Tage | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 10-30 | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | Domain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternatives | Click Heatmap, Success Rate, Design Recommendations | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationFindability | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | UXNavigationFindabilityValidation | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks |