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| Criterion |  Operations 5 Whys |  Engineering Hypothesis-Driven Troubleshooting |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |  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. | When systems fail unexpectedly, spontaneous attempts often produce more noise than insight. Hypothesis-driven Troubleshooting translates symptoms into testable assumptions and makes troubleshooting learnable. | For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly. | 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 | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-30 min | 30-240 min | 1-6 Wochen | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 1-6 | 4-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Hypothesis Log, Test Plan, Evidence Notes, Diagnosis Summary | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | TroubleshootingProblem solvingDiagnosis | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause | Root causeSafetyIncident |