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Criterion
Paper illustration for Contextual Inquiry.
UX Research
Contextual Inquiry
Paper illustration of a Concept Map with concepts and labelled links
Knowledge Modeling
Concept Mapping
Paper illustration for PDCA Cycle.
Operations
PDCA Cycle
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 an improvement that still has to prove itself in everyday work, the method runs it through small learning loops. It connects planning, checking, and standardization into a repeatable learning mode.
Complexitydifferent
MediumMediumLow
Timedifferent
1-3 Wochen1-2 h1 h bis mehrere Wochen
Participantsdifferent
4-12 Beobachtungen1-81-8
Formatsame
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain PointsConcept Map, Relationship Labels, Knowledge GapsPDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change
Tagsno overlap
UX researchObservationContext
KnowledgeConceptsMappingSensemaking
Continuous improvementLeanExperiments
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Gemba Walk workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
Gemba Walk
Paper illustration for Kaizen Event.
Operations
Kaizen Event
Paper illustration for Knowledge Mapping.
Knowledge Modeling
Knowledge Mapping