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| Criterion |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  Innovation Brainstorming |  Operations Root Cause 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 process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. | When a team faces an open question with many obvious directions, the method first creates breadth instead of premature commitment. It separates idea flow from evaluation and makes lines of thought visible, creating a pool for selection and further development. | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-30 min | 2-6 h | 30-60 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 3-10 | 4-12 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Idea pool, Theme clusters, Shortlist | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityWorkshopDivergence | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |