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| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Knowledge Modeling Concept Mapping |  Product Discovery Assumption Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Concept Mapping arranges terms and relationships in a network that makes subject-matter connections tangible. It fits when a topic needs to be understood structurally rather than linearly. | When assumptions still sit unordered in the room, it weighs uncertainty against leverage. It makes visible which hypotheses should be checked first. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 45-90 min | 1-2 h | 45-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 1-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Concept Map, Relationship Labels, Knowledge Gaps | Assumption map, Test backlog, Risk ranking |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | KnowledgeConceptsMappingSensemaking | AssumptionsRiskExperimentsValidation |