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| Criterion |  UX Research Customer Journey Mapping |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | 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. | A Causal Loop Diagram makes feedback, reinforcement, and balance in a system legible. It uncovers side effects and self-reinforcement that stay hidden in linear explanations. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | 45–90 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 3-10 | 2-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Journey Map, Pain-point List, Opportunity Backlog | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points |
Tagsno overlap | JourneyServiceService design | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics |
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