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| Criterion |  UX Research Contextual Inquiry |  Knowledge Modeling Concept Mapping |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |  Decision Making Argument Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Concept Mapping arranges terms and relationships in a network that makes subject-matter connections tangible. It fits when a topic needs to be understood structurally rather than linearly. | 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. | When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen | 1-2 h | 2-8 h | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 4-12 Beobachtungen | 1-8 | 2-8 | 1-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain Points | Concept Map, Relationship Labels, Knowledge Gaps | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchObservationContext | KnowledgeConceptsMappingSensemaking | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | SensemakingDecisionRationale |