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| Criterion |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Innovation Morphological Analysis |  Innovation TRIZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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. | For a search for solutions with many degrees of freedom, a grid emerges for systematic combinations. The method separates features, variants, and exclusion criteria, so the space gets explored deliberately. | For technical contradictions or trade-offs, the method looks for solutions that resolve opposing requirements at the same time. It translates limits into an explicit picture of conflict that becomes workable. This produces not just compromises but more elegant principles. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 15-30 min | 1-4 h | 1-3 h | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 3-8 | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Morphological Box, Concept Combinations, Idea Shortlist | Contradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution Concepts |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | IdeationInnovationCreativity | InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity |