methodatlas
Compare

View methods side by side.

Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.

Criterion
Paper illustration for Contextual Inquiry.
UX Research
Contextual Inquiry
Context Map workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Domain Modeling
Context Map
A 5 Whys working surface connects an observable problem with evidenced causes, marked uncertainty and concrete countermeasures with ownership.
Operations
5 Whys
Paper illustration for Domain Context Map
Domain Modeling
Domain Context Map
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.When several contexts need to talk to each other, it makes their relationships and dependencies legible. It helps sort integration pressure and responsibilities across system boundaries.For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description.When a domain model and its associated contexts need to be thought through together, it creates a shared overview. It connects the business view and organizational boundary into a readable whole.
Complexitydifferent
MediumMediumLowMedium
Timedifferent
1-3 Wochen1-3 h15-30 min1-3 h
Participantsdifferent
4-12 Beobachtungen2-82-63-10
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain PointsContext Map, Integration Patterns, Boundary NotesRoot cause notes, CountermeasuresDomain Context Map, Boundary Notes, Ownership Map
Tagsno overlap
UX researchObservationContext
Domain-Driven DesignBoundariesStrategy
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
Domain-Driven DesignContextBoundaries
Add more methods