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| Criterion |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Agile Start Stop Continue |  Agile 4Ls Retrospective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When a sprint should not only be assessed but also learned from, it captures experience in clear learning categories. It records what worked, what's missing, and what should run differently next time. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-30 min | 1-4 h | 30-60 min | 45–75 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 3-8 | 3-12 | Team members involved |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Start Stop Continue Board, Improvement Actions | 4Ls Board, Learning Themes, Improvement Actions |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | RetrospectiveImprovementTeamReflection | RetrospectiveLearningReflectionTeam |