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| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Operations MORT Analysis |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | For a safety-relevant event or a system with high protection requirements, the method examines where controls failed. It exposes both technical and organizational gaps. | A Current Reality Tree condenses many symptoms into a few causal chains. The method makes visible which core problems drive several negative effects at once. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | High | High |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 2-6 h | Mehrere Tage bis Wochen | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 3-10 | 2-6 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | MORT Worksheets, Findings per Branch, Corrective Actions, Systemic Recommendations | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas |
Tags1 shared | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Root causeSafetySystemicIncident | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality |