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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 Tree Analysis
Operations
Root Cause Tree Analysis
Paper illustration of an eight-panel idea sheet with varied sketches beside a timer set to eight minutes.
Innovation
Crazy 8s
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.For a problem with several suspected causes, the method builds a causal structure instead of a mere list. It makes visible how causes connect and where the strongest points of leverage lie.With only a few minutes available and a still-fuzzy solution search, the method forces a wide range of variants. It produces fast sketches before the first idea can settle in, making different directions directly comparable and open to further development.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumLow
Timedifferent
15-30 min1-3 h8-15 min
Participantsdifferent
2-62-81-10
Formatsame
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Root cause notes, CountermeasuresCause Tree, Evidence Notes, CountermeasuresSketch Set, Idea Shortlist, Direction Options
Tagsno overlap
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
Root causeTreeIncidentQuality
BrainstormingSketchingSpeedDivergenceDesign sprint
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration for Root Cause Analysis.
Operations
Root Cause Analysis
Paper illustration for 8D Problem Solving.
Operations
8D Problem Solving
Paper illustration of Rapid Ideation with its method-specific working model.
Innovation
Rapid Ideation
A3 Problem-Solving workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
A3 Problem Solving