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| Criterion |  Innovation Design Thinking |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |  UX Research Personas |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For complex user problems with an uncertain cause, the method connects observation, interpretation, and experiment into a learning cycle. It keeps the focus on real needs and avoids premature solution language. This produces robust decisions for product and service. | 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. | When target groups stay too vague and teams talk about the same people differently, personas create a shared, solid picture of usage. Condensed profiles make needs, contexts, and differences tangible enough for decisions. | When research notes, feedback, or observations sit unconnected side by side, affinity diagramming sorts the raw material into solid themes. Many individual points turn into patterns that make decisions and opportunities clearer. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | 30–60 min | 1-3 Tage | 45–90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 4-8 | Internes Team | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps | Persona Profiles, Needs Summary, Scenario Notes | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas |
Tagsno overlap | InnovationPrototypeResearch | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop | ResearchCustomerSynthesis | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause |