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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
Paper illustration for Root Cause Analysis.
Operations
Root Cause Analysis
Paper illustration of a team retrospective with three separate Start, Stop, and Continue areas and a shared action list.
Agile
Start Stop Continue
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.When a team wants to deliberately adjust its working behavior, it makes habits visible and assessable. It focuses on concrete changes instead of diffuse mood.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumLow
Timedifferent
15-30 min1-4 h30-60 min
Participantsdifferent
2-63-83-12
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Root cause notes, CountermeasuresProblem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action PlanStart Stop Continue Board, Improvement Actions
Tagsno overlap
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident
RetrospectiveImprovementTeamReflection
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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
Paper illustration for 8D Problem Solving.
Operations
8D Problem Solving
Paper illustration for Root Cause Tree Analysis
Operations
Root Cause Tree Analysis