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| Criterion |  UX Research Contextual Inquiry |  Systems Thinking Iceberg Model |  Knowledge Modeling Knowledge Mapping |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 Current Reality Tree condenses many symptoms into a few causal chains. The method makes visible which core problems drive several negative effects at once. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen | 30-60 min | 1-3 h | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 4-12 Beobachtungen | 2-10 | 3-12 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain Points | Iceberg Worksheet, Pattern Notes, Intervention Ideas | Knowledge Map, Critical Knowledge Areas, Transfer Plan | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchObservationContext | Systems thinkingRoot causePatterns | KnowledgeMappingRisk | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality |