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| Criterion |  UX Research Contextual Inquiry |  Operations PDCA Cycle |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 an improvement that still has to prove itself in everyday work, the method runs it through small learning loops. It connects planning, checking, and standardization into a repeatable learning mode. | For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 2-8 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-12 Beobachtungen | 1-8 | 2-8 | 2-5 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain Points | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchObservationContext | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |