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| Criterion |  UX Research Contextual Inquiry |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |  Operations ALPEN Method |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. | For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen | 1-6 Wochen | 10-20 min daily | 2-8 h |
Participantsdifferent | 4-12 Beobachtungen | 4-10 | 1 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain Points | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchObservationContext | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations |