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Criterion
Affinity Diagramming
UX Research
Affinity Diagramming
Paper illustration for Solution Interview
Product Discovery
Solution Interview
A 5 Whys working surface connects an observable problem with evidenced causes, marked uncertainty and concrete countermeasures with ownership.
Operations
5 Whys
Paper illustration for Root Cause Analysis.
Operations
Root Cause 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 solution idea is already on the table, it checks how it is understood and evaluated. It looks for resonance, objections, and missing fit early in the conversation.For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description.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.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumLowMedium
Timedifferent
45–90 min30-60 min je Interview15-30 min1-4 h
Participantsdifferent
3-105-10 Interviews2-63-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areasSolution Feedback, Objection List, Validation NotesRoot cause notes, CountermeasuresProblem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan
Tagsno overlap
SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause
ValidationInterviewsPrototype
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident
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