View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Product Strategy Lean Canvas |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 an early product bet still has too many open points, it brings target group, problem, and assumptions into a single view. It condenses the idea so core risks become nameable. | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | 45-90 min | 1-4 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 1-6 | 3-8 | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Lean Canvas, Core Assumptions, Experiment Backlog | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | StartupLeanAssumptionsBusiness model | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |