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| Criterion |  UX Research Contextual Inquiry |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  Knowledge Modeling Knowledge Mapping |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. | Knowledge Mapping makes knowledge, gaps, and transfer paths visible across a field. It fits when expertise should not just exist but also be findable and transferable. | When a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen | 2-6 h | 1-3 h | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-12 Beobachtungen | 3-10 | 3-12 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain Points | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Knowledge Map, Critical Knowledge Areas, Transfer Plan | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchObservationContext | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | KnowledgeMappingRisk | Root causeQualityOperations |