View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  UX Research Customer Journey Mapping |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 user journey falls apart across many touchpoints, customer journey mapping makes the experience visible as a coherent arc. Phases, emotions, and breaks become legible enough to prioritize critical moments deliberately. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 2-4 h | 15-30 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 4-10 | 2-6 | 2-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Journey Map, Pain-point List, Opportunity Backlog | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | JourneyServiceService design | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | Root causeQualityOperations |