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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | High | High |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 45–90 min | 1-6 Wochen | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 3-10 | 4-10 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |