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| Criterion |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Facilitation Decision Jam |  Operations Barrier Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | When a decision is stuck, Decision Jam loosens the knot through structured separation of problem, idea, and selection. The format creates movement without jumping prematurely at the first seemingly elegant answer. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-30 min | 45-90 min | 60-90 min | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 2-5 | 4-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Problem Cluster, Prioritized Challenge, Experiment | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | FacilitationDecisionProblem solvingWorkshop | Root causeSafetyIncident |