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| Criterion |  Operations Fault Tree Analysis |  UX Research User Interviews |  Operations Barrier Analysis |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a critical top event with several possible triggers, the method logically models failure paths. It makes visible which combinations of conditions can lead to damage. | 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. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. | 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 | High | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 30–60 min per interview | 2-4 h | 45–90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 1 participant per interview | 2-6 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Fault Tree, Critical Paths, Cause Hypotheses, Control Actions | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas |
Tagsno overlap | RiskRoot causeSafety | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery | Root causeSafetyIncident | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause |