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| Criterion |  UX Research Tree Testing |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a navigation exists but search paths still fail, tree testing checks findability without visual distraction. The method shows whether labels, levels, and paths really lead to the intended destination. | 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. | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. | For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 30–60 min | 1-4 h | 1-6 Wochen |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | 4-8 | 3-8 | 4-10 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Findability Metrics, Path Analysis, Revised IA | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | Information architectureNavigationFindability | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause |