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| Criterion |  Operations 5 Whys |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |  Facilitation Decision Jam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. | For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-30 min | 1-2 h | 2-8 h | 60-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 4-12 | 2-8 | 4-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | Problem Cluster, Prioritized Challenge, Experiment |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | FacilitationDecisionProblem solvingWorkshop |