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| Criterion |  UX Research Usability Testing |  Innovation Design Thinking |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  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. | For complex user problems with an uncertain cause, the method connects observation, interpretation, and experiment into a learning cycle. It keeps the focus on real needs and avoids premature solution language. This produces robust decisions for product and service. | 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 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 | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h je Session | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | 45–90 min | 30–60 min |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 4-10 | 3-10 | 4-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Usability Issues, Severity List, Recommendations | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps |
Tagsno overlap | ValidationUXPrototype | InnovationPrototypeResearch | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop |