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| Criterion |  UX Research Diary Study |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When experiences build up over days or weeks and a single session cannot capture them, Diary Study records the course of everyday life. Recurring triggers, moods, and habits become visible this way, beyond the sharpness of memory. | 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. | 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. | A Causal Loop Diagram makes feedback, reinforcement, and balance in a system legible. It uncovers side effects and self-reinforcement that stay hidden in linear explanations. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 Wochen | 45–90 min | 2-6 h | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 5-20 | 3-10 | 3-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Diary Entries, Longitudinal Patterns, Experience Timeline | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchTrackingBehavior | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics |