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| Criterion |  UX Research Contextual Inquiry |  Operations Waste Analysis |  Operations Process Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|
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 that keeps people busy but creates little value, the method exposes waste. It directs attention to unnecessary movement, waiting times, rework, and overdelivery. | With a confusing workflow that has many handoffs, the method makes the actual process visible. It shows where work is passed on, delayed, or duplicated, so improvement targets the right spots. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen | 45-120 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 4-12 Beobachtungen | 2-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain Points | Waste Map, Prioritized Waste, Improvement Backlog | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchObservationContext | WasteLeanProcess improvement | ProcessOperationsImprovement |
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