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| Criterion | ![]() Facilitation Mind Mapping | ![]() UX Research Affinity Diagramming | ![]() UX Research User Interviews | ![]() Innovation Brainwriting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a topic is still unclear and too many thoughts surface at once, Mind Mapping creates an open surface for ordering them. It makes connections, subtopics, and starting points visible without fixing them too early. | 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. | When teams derive needs only from assumptions and real motives are missing, user interviews give direct access to behavior and meaning. Conversations from the target group's everyday life make patterns, tensions, and open questions solidly visible. | When loud voices or hierarchy distort the idea search, the method creates a quiet entry into joint development. It gives everyone thinking space and gathers contributions without social brakes, making diversity more visible and easier to build on. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 45–90 min | 30–60 min per interview | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 3-10 | 1 participant per interview | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Mind Map, Topic Clusters, Open Questions | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary | Idea sheets, Expanded concepts, Prioritized list |
Tagsno overlap | BrainstormingIdeasMappingStructureFacilitation | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery | BrainstormingCollaborationInclusionIdeas |



