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| Criterion |  UX Research User Interviews |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30–60 min per interview | 15-30 min | 2-6 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1 participant per interview | 2-6 | 3-10 | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |