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| Criterion | ![]() UX Research Affinity Diagramming | ![]() Knowledge Modeling IBIS | ![]() Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | IBIS structures thinking about complex questions as a sequence of issues, ideas, and arguments. The method keeps discussions open without forcing them into premature consensus. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 1-3 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Issue Map, Positions, Argument Notes | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | RationaleKnowledgeDecision | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery |
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