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| Criterion | ![]() UX Research Affinity Diagramming | ![]() Decision Making Argument Mapping | ![]() Decision Making Decision Rights Mapping | ![]() Decision Making Cynefin Workshop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on. | In organizations with many stakeholders, it often blurs who actually decides and who is merely consulted. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Decision Rights matrix and an agreement. | When problems are unclear, chaotic, or only seemingly familiar, standard recipes fall short. A Cynefin Workshop sorts situations by the nature of their problem and connects them with matching action logic. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 1-3 h | 90-180 min | 60-180 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 1-8 | 4-12 | 4-20 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale | Decision Rights Matrix, Agreement | Cynefin Map, Domain-specific Actions, Sensemaking Notes |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | SensemakingDecisionRationale | DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility | ComplexitySensemakingDecision |



