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| Criterion |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | A Current Reality Tree condenses many symptoms into a few causal chains. The method makes visible which core problems drive several negative effects at once. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 2-6 h | 45–90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 3-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas |
Tags1 shared | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause |
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