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| Criterion | ![]() UX Research Contextual Inquiry | ![]() Decision Making Cynefin Workshop | ![]() Decision Making Argument Mapping | ![]() Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 problems are unclear, chaotic, or only seemingly familiar, standard recipes fall short. A Cynefin Workshop sorts situations by the nature of their problem and connects them with matching action logic. | 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. | Soft Systems Methodology helps explore unclear or politically charged problems systematically. Instead of forcing a quick answer, the method builds a shared understanding of perspectives and room for action. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen | 60-180 min | 1-3 h | 0.5-3 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 4-12 Beobachtungen | 4-20 | 1-8 | 5-15 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain Points | Cynefin Map, Domain-specific Actions, Sensemaking Notes | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchObservationContext | ComplexitySensemakingDecision | SensemakingDecisionRationale | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking |



