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| Criterion |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Decision Making Force Field Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. | In change initiatives, supporting and restraining forces sit at the table at the same time. Force Field Analysis makes these tensions explicit and shows where change can be pushed forward by strengthening or relieving. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-6 Wochen | 1-4 h | 45-90 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 3-8 | 3-12 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Force Field Map, Change Levers, Risk Notes | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | ChangeDecisionStrategy | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |