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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When content only makes sense internally and users can't find the structure again, card sorting exposes their mental order. Terms, groups, and naming are then aligned with the target group's expectations. | 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. | When there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions. | For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 45-90 min | 30-120 min | 2-8 h |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 2-5 | 2-6 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | LeanObservationProcessOperations | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations |