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| Criterion |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |  UX Research Empathy Mapping |  Engineering Goal Question Metric |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly. | When a lot is assumed about a target group but little is seen jointly, empathy mapping makes knowledge and gaps directly comparable. The picture also shows which assumptions hold up and where evidence is missing. | Helps clarify technical problems, hypotheses, and next steps in concrete terms. It breaks a technical problem into testable parts. The result is captured as a GQM table and metric briefs. | 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 | High | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-6 Wochen | 30–60 min | 90-180 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 4-8 | 3-6 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps | GQM Table, Metric Profiles | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop | MetricsMeasurementEngineeringAlignment | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |