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| Criterion |  UX Research Usability Testing |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  UX Research Card Sorting |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h je Session | 45–90 min | 20-45 min | 30–60 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 3-10 | Based on research question | 4-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Usability Issues, Severity List, Recommendations | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps |
Tagsno overlap | ValidationUXPrototype | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | Information architectureNavigationStructure | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop |