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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 TRIZ
Innovation
TRIZ
Paper illustration for Root Cause Analysis.
Operations
Root Cause Analysis
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 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.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.
Complexitydifferent
LowHighMedium
Timedifferent
15-30 min1-4 h1-4 h
Participantsdifferent
2-62-83-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Root cause notes, CountermeasuresContradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution ConceptsProblem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan
Tags1 shared
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity
Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident
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Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration for 8D Problem Solving.
Operations
8D Problem Solving
Paper illustration for Contradiction Analysis.
Innovation
Contradiction Analysis
Paper illustration for Root Cause Tree Analysis
Operations
Root Cause Tree Analysis
A3 Problem-Solving workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
A3 Problem Solving