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| Criterion |  UX Research Tree Testing |  UX Research Usability Testing |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture 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 product is built but people get stuck on tasks, usability testing shows the friction at concrete points. Observed use instead of self-report makes visible where orientation, understanding, or interaction breaks down. | 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 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 | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 1-2 h je Session | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 20-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | Based on research question | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | Based on research question |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | Usability Issues, Severity List, Recommendations | 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 | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationFindability | ValidationUXPrototype | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Information architectureNavigationStructure |