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| Criterion |  UX Research User Interviews |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |  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 process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. | 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 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 | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30–60 min per interview | 2-6 h | 15-30 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1 participant per interview | 3-10 | 2-6 | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |