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| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly. | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 45-90 min | 1-6 Wochen | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 4-10 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |