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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
Gemba Walk workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
Gemba Walk
Paper illustration for Learning Review.
Operations
Learning Review
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 there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions.After a project phase with mixed results, the method makes learning from the individual case reusable. It connects events, decisions, and systemic conditions into robust insights.
Complexitydifferent
LowLowMedium
Timedifferent
15-30 min30-120 min1-3 h
Participantsdifferent
2-62-63-10
Formatsame
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Root cause notes, CountermeasuresObservation Notes, Improvement IdeasLearning Review Notes, System Factors, Improvement Actions
Tagsno overlap
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
LeanObservationProcessOperations
LearningRetrospectiveIncidentOperations
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Often compared together

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

A3 Problem-Solving workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
A3 Problem Solving
Paper illustration for Kepner-Tregoe
Operations
Kepner-Tregoe
Paper illustration for Root Cause Analysis.
Operations
Root Cause Analysis
A structured reflection surfaces what was liked, learned, lacked, and longed for. It is a conversation format and does not validate actions automatically.
Agile
4Ls Retrospective