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| Criterion |  UX Research User Interviews |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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. | For a problem with several suspected causes, the method builds a causal structure instead of a mere list. It makes visible how causes connect and where the strongest points of leverage lie. | When research notes, feedback, or observations sit unconnected side by side, affinity diagramming sorts the raw material into solid themes. Many individual points turn into patterns that make decisions and opportunities clearer. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 30–60 min per interview | 1-6 Wochen | 1-3 h | 45–90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1 participant per interview | 4-10 | 2-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas |
Tagsno overlap | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause |