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| Criterion |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Operations Barrier Analysis |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | High | High |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 2-4 h | 2-8 h | 1-6 Wochen |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 2-6 | 2-8 | 4-10 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationStructure | Root causeSafetyIncident | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause |