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| Criterion |  Product Discovery Context Canvas |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When an environment of users, systems, and constraints is hard to grasp, it puts the context compactly on the table. It creates a clear reading of influence, boundary, and dependency. | 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. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 45–90 min | 45-90 min | 30–60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 3-10 | 2-5 | 4-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Context canvas, Open questions, Shared context notes | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps |
Tagsno overlap | ContextFramingRequirementsCanvas | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop |