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| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Operations Causal Factor 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. | For decisions with follow-on paths and dependencies, a linear comparison is often not enough. A Decision Tree shows how options branch under conditions and which consequences hang on each branch. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | High | High |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 30-90 min | 2-6 h | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 1-6 | 3-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | DecisionTreeOptions | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline |