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Criterion
Visual Management workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
Visual Management
Paper illustration for Contextual Inquiry.
UX Research
Contextual Inquiry
Paper illustration for Standard Work Analysis.
Operations
Standard Work Analysis
Purposedifferent
With high tempo and many parallel topics, the method makes status, deviations, and priorities visible at a glance. It reduces search effort and prevents what matters from getting lost in daily work.When work processes are known only from accounts and the real context stays hidden, Contextual Inquiry makes behavior at the workplace visible. Observation and follow-up questions together show how people actually work, get interrupted, and improvise.When the same task is done differently depending on the person, the method exposes the reliable core. It creates comparability without unnecessarily choking off needed latitude.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumMedium
Timedifferent
Ongoing1-3 Wochen1-3 h
Participantsdifferent
1-204-12 Beobachtungen2-6
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Visual Board, Status Indicators, Exception CuesField Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain PointsStandard Work Sheet, Deviation List, Improved Standard, Training Needs
Tagsno overlap
SignalsOperationsVisual management
UX researchObservationContext
LeanProcessQuality
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Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Gemba Walk workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
Gemba Walk
A3 Problem-Solving workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
A3 Problem Solving
Paper illustration for Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Operations
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Paper fishbone diagram with a measurable effect at the head and six labeled cause branches.
Operations
Fishbone Diagram