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| Criterion |  Innovation Lean Startup |  UX Research Contextual Inquiry |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For uncertain business assumptions, the method forces the idea into contact with real market reactions early. It separates wishful picture, assumption, and observable behavior, so that learning becomes faster than planning. This translates uncertainty into measurable insight. | When work processes are known only from accounts and the real context stays hidden, Contextual Inquiry makes behavior at the workplace visible. Observation and follow-up questions together show how people actually work, get interrupted, and improvise. | When there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | Wochen bis Monate je Lernzyklus | 1-3 Wochen | 30-120 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 4-12 Beobachtungen | 2-6 | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Hypothesis list, MVPs, Learning reports, Pivot or persevere decision | Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain Points | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | LeanStartupValidationMVP | UX researchObservationContext | LeanObservationProcessOperations | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |