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| Criterion |  Decision Making Decision Matrix |  Decision Making Trade-off Analysis |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When several options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared logic. | With limited resources, quality, speed, cost, and risk almost always compete with each other. Trade-off Analysis makes these tensions explicit and prevents decisions from producing hidden side effects. | When a lot is assumed about a target group but little is seen jointly, empathy mapping makes knowledge and gaps directly comparable. The picture also shows which assumptions hold up and where evidence is missing. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 45-120 min | 30–60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-8 | 4-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected Option | Trade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps |
Tagsno overlap | DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs | TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop |
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