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| Criterion |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 a lot is assumed about a target group but little is seen jointly, empathy mapping makes knowledge and gaps directly comparable. The picture also shows which assumptions hold up and where evidence is missing. | 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. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 30–60 min | 2-6 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 4-8 | 3-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |