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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology |  UX Research User Interviews |  Product Discovery Opportunity Interview |  UX Research Personas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Soft Systems Methodology helps explore unclear or politically charged problems systematically. Instead of forcing a quick answer, the method builds a shared understanding of perspectives and room for action. | 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 opportunities are still hidden behind signals of need, it structures conversations around needs and obstacles. It looks for patterns that lead to new product opportunities. | When target groups stay too vague and teams talk about the same people differently, personas create a shared, solid picture of usage. Condensed profiles make needs, contexts, and differences tangible enough for decisions. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 0.5-3 Tage | 30–60 min per interview | 30-60 min je Interview | 1-3 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 5-15 | 1 participant per interview | 5-12 Interviews | Internes Team |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary | Interview Notes, Opportunity Themes, Customer Quotes | Persona Profiles, Needs Summary, Scenario Notes |
Tagsno overlap | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery | DiscoveryInterviewsOpportunityCustomer | ResearchCustomerSynthesis |