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| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Product Discovery Outcome-Driven Innovation |  Innovation Design Sprint |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Outcome-Driven Innovation clarifies customer problems, solution opportunities, and evidence. It separates jobs, desired outcomes, importance, satisfaction, and opportunity, and captures results as desired outcome statements, an opportunity landscape, and segments by underserved needs. | When the product question is unclear and time pressure is high, the method takes a team from an open idea to a testable solution. It connects problem understanding, decision, and learning in one compact format, lowering the risk of spending a lot of energy on a mere guess. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | Mehrere Wochen | 4-5 Tage | 30–60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-6 researchers plus sample | 5-8 | 4-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Desired outcome statements, Opportunity landscape, Segmentation by underserved needs, Innovation hypotheses | Prototype, Test Findings, Decision Rationale | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | OutcomesInnovationResearchQuantitative | Design sprintPrototypeValidationInnovation | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop |