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| Criterion | ![]() UX Research Affinity Diagramming | ![]() Facilitation Alignment Mapping | ![]() Decision Making DACI | ![]() Facilitation Stakeholder Salience Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. | In cross-functional decisions, responsibilities quickly blur between approval, influence, and execution. DACI arranges these roles so decision pressure, contribution, and information stay cleanly separated. | When stakeholders appear to matter very differently, the Stakeholder Salience Model rates their actual priority through power, legitimacy, and urgency. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as a Salience diagram and a class-based strategy. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 1-2 h | 30-60 min | 60-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 4-12 | 2-10 | 3-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | DACI Matrix, Decision Owner, Decision Log | Salience Diagram, Strategy per Class |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | DecisionRolesGovernanceAlignment | StakeholdersFacilitationAlignmentGovernance |



