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| Criterion | ![]() Product Discovery Context Canvas | ![]() UX Research Contextual Inquiry | ![]() Facilitation Alignment Mapping | ![]() Product Strategy Product Vision Board |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 work processes are known only from accounts and the real context stays hidden, Contextual Inquiry makes behavior at the workplace visible. Observation and follow-up questions together show how people actually work, get interrupted, and improvise. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. | When a product needs a shared direction, it connects target audience, benefit, and business picture in a clear vision. It makes the envisioned future legible for the team. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 1-3 Wochen | 1-2 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 4-12 Beobachtungen | 4-12 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context canvas, Open questions, Shared context notes | Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain Points | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Product Vision Board, Vision Statement, Assumptions and Validation Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ContextFramingRequirementsCanvas | UX researchObservationContext | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | VisionCanvasStrategyAlignment |



