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Criterion
Empathy Mapping
UX Research
Empathy Mapping
Paper illustration of two people facing each other, speech bubbles and an open interview notebook.
UX Research
User Interviews
Paper illustration of Decision Rights Mapping with its method-specific working model.
Decision Making
Decision Rights Mapping
Paper illustration of an assumption matrix with prioritized test cards
Decision Making
Assumption Surfacing
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 teams derive needs only from assumptions and real motives are missing, user interviews give direct access to behavior and meaning. Conversations from the target group's everyday life make patterns, tensions, and open questions solidly visible.In organizations with many stakeholders, it often blurs who actually decides and who is merely consulted. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Decision Rights matrix and an agreement.Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it.
Complexitydifferent
LowLowMediumLow
Timedifferent
30–60 min30–60 min per interview90-180 min45-90 min
Participantsdifferent
4-81 participant per interview4-122-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research GapsInterview Notes, Themes, Insight SummaryDecision Rights Matrix, AgreementAssumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan
Tagsno overlap
SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop
QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery
DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility
AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery
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