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| Criterion |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | 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. | For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 30-60 min | 45–90 min | 2-8 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-10 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan |
Tags1 shared | Root causeQualityOperations | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations |
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