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| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  UX Research Customer Journey Mapping |  UX Design Customer Journey Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 30-60 min | 2-4 h | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 4-10 | 3-10 |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Journey Map, Pain-point List, Opportunity Backlog | Customer Journey Canvas, Pain Points, Experience Opportunities |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | Root causeQualityOperations | JourneyServiceService design | JourneyCustomerService designCanvas |