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| Criterion |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. | 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. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 30–60 min | 30-60 min | 45-90 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 4-8 | 2-8 | 2-5 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop | Root causeQualityOperations | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |