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| Criterion | ![]() UX Research Empathy Mapping | ![]() Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis | ![]() Facilitation Decision Jam | ![]() UX Research Affinity Diagramming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | When a decision is stuck, Decision Jam loosens the knot through structured separation of problem, idea, and selection. The format creates movement without jumping prematurely at the first seemingly elegant answer. | 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 | Low | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 30–60 min | 2-6 h | 60-90 min | 45–90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-8 | 3-10 | 4-10 | 3-10 |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Problem Cluster, Prioritized Challenge, Experiment | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | FacilitationDecisionProblem solvingWorkshop | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause |



