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Criterion
A 5 Whys working surface connects an observable problem with evidenced causes, marked uncertainty and concrete countermeasures with ownership.
Operations
5 Whys
Paper illustration of Cost of Delay with its method-specific working model.
Delivery
Cost of Delay
A paper-based illustration representing WSJF with its core stages and visible working result.
Agile
WSJF
A3 Problem-Solving workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
A3 Problem Solving
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.Helps clarify scope, order, and delivery flow in concrete terms. It makes work, constraints, and sequence manageable. The result is captured as a Cost of Delay table and prioritization sequence.When many tasks compete for the same capacity, it orders work by economic impact. It makes time lost, benefit, and effort comparable together.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.
Complexitydifferent
LowHighHighMedium
Timedifferent
15-30 min90-180 min45-90 min45-90 min
Participantsdifferent
2-63-83-102-5
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Root cause notes, CountermeasuresCoD Table, Prioritization SequenceRanked Backlog, Cost-of-Delay AssumptionsA3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis
Tagsno overlap
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
PrioritizationDeliveryEconomicsDecision
LeanEconomicsSequencePrioritization
LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations
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