View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion | ![]() UX Research Diary Study | ![]() UX Research Empathy Mapping | ![]() Operations A3 Problem Solving | ![]() Operations Gemba Walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. | When there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 Wochen | 30–60 min | 45-90 min | 30-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 5-20 | 4-8 | 2-5 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Diary Entries, Longitudinal Patterns, Experience Timeline | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | UX researchTrackingBehavior | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | LeanObservationProcessOperations |



