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| Criterion |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Operations Family Tree Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | 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 series of incidents with a similar pattern, the method arranges individual events as branches of a common origin. It makes visible which conditions keep recurring. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 20-45 min | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | Based on research question | 2-6 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Family Tree Diagram, Pattern Notes, Systemic Measures |
Tagsno overlap | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Information architectureNavigationStructure | Root causePatternsIncidentSystemic |
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