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| Criterion |  Product Discovery User Story Mapping |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  UX Research Customer Journey Mapping |  Operations ALPEN Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When user goals and delivery scope could drift apart, it orders the journey from goal to slice. It makes visible where an MVP can genuinely be cut. | 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. | When a user journey falls apart across many touchpoints, customer journey mapping makes the experience visible as a coherent arc. Phases, emotions, and breaks become legible enough to prioritize critical moments deliberately. | 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 | Medium | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | 45-90 min | 2-4 h | 10-20 min daily |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 2-5 | 4-10 | 1 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Async |
Outputdifferent | Story Map, Release Slices, Backlog Candidates | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Journey Map, Pain-point List, Opportunity Backlog | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes |
Tagsno overlap | BacklogJourneyPlanningMVP | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | JourneyServiceService design | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations |