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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
A paper-based illustration representing Domain Storytelling with its core stages and visible working result.
Knowledge Modeling
Domain Storytelling
Paper illustration for Alignment Mapping.
Facilitation
Alignment 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.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.Domain Storytelling translates domain knowledge into a shared narrative of actors, objects, and workflows. It is especially useful when language, rules, and process understanding must be tightly connected.When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable.
Complexitydifferent
MediumMediumLowMedium
Timedifferent
1-3 Wochen1-3 h1-2 h1-2 h
Participantsdifferent
4-12 Beobachtungen2-82-84-12
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain PointsContext Map, Integration Patterns, Boundary NotesDomain Story, Glossary Notes, Process NarrativeAlignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions
Tagsno overlap
UX researchObservationContext
Domain-Driven DesignBoundariesStrategy
KnowledgeDomain-Driven DesignProcess
AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation
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