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| Criterion |  Operations PDCA Cycle |  UX Research Contextual Inquiry |  Operations After-Action Review |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For an improvement that still has to prove itself in everyday work, the method runs it through small learning loops. It connects planning, checking, and standardization into a repeatable learning mode. | 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. | After missions or project phases with unclear outcomes, the method makes visible what actually happened and what can be learned from it. It separates course, effect, and causes so experience turns into solid improvement. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 1-3 Wochen | 20-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | 4-12 Beobachtungen | 3-12 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | Field Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain Points | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary |
Tagsno overlap | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | UX researchObservationContext | LearningOperationsImprovement |
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.
