View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion | ![]() UX Research Contextual Inquiry | ![]() Systems Thinking Behavior Over Time Graph | ![]() Systems Thinking Future Reality Tree |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | A Behavior Over Time Graph shows how a metric or observation develops over time. The method makes trends, breaks, and recurring patterns visible that get lost in snapshots. | A Future Reality Tree shows how desired actions are meant to lead to a better system state. The method checks whether a path of change holds together logically before time flows into implementation. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen | 20-45 min | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 4-12 Beobachtungen | 1-10 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain Points | Behavior Over Time Graph, Trend Hypotheses, Key Events | Future Reality Tree, Negative Branches, Assumption List, Improved Injections |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchObservationContext | Systems thinkingPatternsDynamics | Theory of ConstraintsSystems thinkingChange |
Often compared together
Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.






