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| Criterion |  Knowledge Modeling IBIS |  Decision Making Argument Mapping |  UX Research Card Sorting |  Decision Making Cynefin Workshop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | IBIS structures thinking about complex questions as a sequence of issues, ideas, and arguments. The method keeps discussions open without forcing them into premature consensus. | When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on. | When content only makes sense internally and users can't find the structure again, card sorting exposes their mental order. Terms, groups, and naming are then aligned with the target group's expectations. | When problems are unclear, chaotic, or only seemingly familiar, standard recipes fall short. A Cynefin Workshop sorts situations by the nature of their problem and connects them with matching action logic. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 1-3 h | 20-45 min | 60-180 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 1-8 | Based on research question | 4-20 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Issue Map, Positions, Argument Notes | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale | Content groups, Label set, IA hypotheses | Cynefin Map, Domain-specific Actions, Sensemaking Notes |
Tagsno overlap | RationaleKnowledgeDecision | SensemakingDecisionRationale | Information architectureNavigationStructure | ComplexitySensemakingDecision |