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Criterion
Paper illustration for Contextual Inquiry.
UX Research
Contextual Inquiry
Iceberg Model method illustration showing its working structure
Systems Thinking
Iceberg Model
Paper illustration for Knowledge Mapping.
Knowledge Modeling
Knowledge Mapping
Paper illustration for Behavior Over Time Graph.
Systems Thinking
Behavior Over Time Graph
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.The Iceberg Model separates visible events from patterns, structures, and mental models. This turns a single observation into a deeper understanding of why a problem keeps recurring.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.A Behavior Over Time Graph shows how a metric or observation develops over time. The method makes trends, breaks, and recurring patterns visible that get lost in snapshots.
Complexitydifferent
MediumLowMediumLow
Timedifferent
1-3 Wochen30-60 min1-3 h20-45 min
Participantsdifferent
4-12 Beobachtungen2-103-121-10
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain PointsIceberg Worksheet, Pattern Notes, Intervention IdeasKnowledge Map, Critical Knowledge Areas, Transfer PlanBehavior Over Time Graph, Trend Hypotheses, Key Events
Tagsno overlap
UX researchObservationContext
Systems thinkingRoot causePatterns
KnowledgeMappingRisk
Systems thinkingPatternsDynamics
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