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| Criterion |  UX Research User Interviews |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations Getting Things Done |  Operations ALPEN Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions. | With many open commitments and ideas in daily life, a reliable external storage system emerges. The method relieves the mind so priority and context don't have to compete in memory. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 30–60 min per interview | 30-120 min | 1-2 h Setup, laufend | 10-20 min daily |
Participantsdifferent | 1 participant per interview | 2-6 | 1 | 1 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Interview Notes, Themes, Insight Summary | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Action Lists, Project List, Review Routine | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes |
Tagsno overlap | QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery | LeanObservationProcessOperations | ProductivityPlanningTasksExecution | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations |