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| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  UX Design Customer Journey Canvas |  Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |  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. | When a journey needs to be understood across several phases, it arranges experience, touchpoints, and opportunities into one picture. It makes gaps and friction along the user path clear. | A Causal Loop Diagram makes feedback, reinforcement, and balance in a system legible. It uncovers side effects and self-reinforcement that stay hidden in linear explanations. | 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 | Medium | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 1-3 h | 1-3 h | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 3-10 | 2-8 | 3-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Customer Journey Canvas, Pain Points, Experience Opportunities | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | JourneyCustomerService designCanvas | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality |