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Selected:Affinity DiagrammingFishbone DiagramCustomer Journey MappingFailure Mode and Effects Analysis
| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  UX Research Customer Journey Mapping |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects 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. | 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. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 30-60 min | 2-4 h | 2-6 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 | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | Root causeQualityOperations | JourneyServiceService design | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |