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Criterion
Affinity Diagramming
UX Research
Affinity Diagramming
Empathy Mapping
UX Research
Empathy Mapping
Paper illustration for Kepner-Tregoe
Operations
Kepner-Tregoe
Paper illustration of the Lightning Decision Jam working structure.
Facilitation
Decision Jam
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 lot is assumed about a target group but little is seen jointly, empathy mapping makes knowledge and gaps directly comparable. The picture also shows which assumptions hold up and where evidence is missing.For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations.When a decision is stuck, Decision Jam loosens the knot through structured separation of problem, idea, and selection. The format creates movement without jumping prematurely at the first seemingly elegant answer.
Complexitydifferent
LowLowHighLow
Timedifferent
45–90 min30–60 min2-8 h60-90 min
Participantsdifferent
3-104-82-84-10
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areasEmpathy Map, Assumptions List, Research GapsProblem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk PlanProblem Cluster, Prioritized Challenge, Experiment
Tagsno overlap
SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause
SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop
Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations
FacilitationDecisionProblem solvingWorkshop
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