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| Criterion |  UX Research Diary Study |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | For a problem with several suspected causes, the method builds a causal structure instead of a mere list. It makes visible how causes connect and where the strongest points of leverage lie. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 Wochen | 45–90 min | 1-3 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 5-20 | 3-10 | 2-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Diary Entries, Longitudinal Patterns, Experience Timeline | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchTrackingBehavior | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |