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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Systems Mapping |  UX Research User Interviews |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Systems Mapping arranges elements, relationships, and boundaries so a complex field becomes legible at a glance. The overview stabilizes the overall picture before detail work or steering begins. | 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 a lot is assumed about a target group but little is seen jointly, empathy mapping makes knowledge and gaps directly comparable. The picture also shows which assumptions hold up and where evidence is missing. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 30–60 min per interview | 30–60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 1 participant per interview | 4-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | System Map, Dependencies, Leverage Points | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingMappingBoundariesChange | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop |
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