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Criterion
Paper illustration for Contextual Inquiry.
UX Research
Contextual Inquiry
Context Map workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Domain Modeling
Context Map
Paper illustration for 8D Problem Solving.
Operations
8D Problem Solving
Paper illustration for Root Cause Analysis.
Operations
Root Cause Analysis
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 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.When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another.
Complexitydifferent
MediumMediumHighMedium
Timedifferent
1-3 Wochen1-3 h1-6 Wochen1-4 h
Participantsdifferent
4-12 Beobachtungen2-84-103-8
Formatsame
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain PointsContext Map, Integration Patterns, Boundary Notes8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action PlanProblem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan
Tagsno overlap
UX researchObservationContext
Domain-Driven DesignBoundariesStrategy
QualityProblem solvingRoot cause
Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident
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