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| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | 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. | 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 | Low | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 30–60 min | 2-6 h | 45–90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 4-8 | 3-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause |