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| Criterion | ![]() Operations 5 Whys | ![]() Engineering Hypothesis-Driven Troubleshooting | ![]() Business Strategy VRIO Framework | ![]() Business Strategy Business Model Stress Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | The VRIO Framework rates resources and capabilities on whether they are Valuable, Rare, Inimitable, and Organized. It compares strengths, risks, market logic, and courses of action. The result is captured as a VRIO table and strategic actions. | A Business Model Stress Test checks how well a business model holds up under pressure and headwinds. It compares strengths, risks, market logic, and courses of action. The result is captured as a stress-test report and action plan per scenario. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 15-30 min | 30-240 min | 90-180 min | Half day |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 1-6 | 3-6 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Hypothesis Log, Test Plan, Evidence Notes, Diagnosis Summary | VRIO Table, Strategic Actions | Stress Test Report, Action Plan per Scenario |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | TroubleshootingProblem solvingDiagnosis | StrategyDiagnosisBusiness modelCapability | StrategyBusiness modelRiskDiagnosis |



