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| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  UX Research Customer Journey Mapping |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | When a user journey falls apart across many touchpoints, customer journey mapping makes the experience visible as a coherent arc. Phases, emotions, and breaks become legible enough to prioritize critical moments deliberately. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 2-6 h | 2-4 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 3-10 | 4-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Journey Map, Pain-point List, Opportunity Backlog | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | JourneyServiceService design | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |