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| Criterion |  Operations 5 Whys |  Agile Specification by Example |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Agile Example Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 business rules need to become precise, it ties language, example, and test together. It sorts work by value, risk, and delivery ability. The result is captured as an Example Table and Acceptance Tests. | 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 story carries business rules and exceptions, it brings clarity before implementation. It makes examples, open questions, and boundaries visible enough that the logic becomes jointly sound. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-30 min | 60-90 min pro Feature | 1-4 h | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 3-6 | 3-8 | 3-7 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Example Table, Acceptance Tests | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Example Map, Acceptance Criteria, Open Questions |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | AgileRequirementsExamplesBehavior-Driven Development | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | Behavior-Driven DevelopmentRequirementsExamplesRefinement |