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| Criterion |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |  Facilitation Six Thinking Hats |  Operations 5 Whys |  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 topic gets stuck too quickly in the same thinking mode, Six Thinking Hats deliberately separates the perspectives. This means facts, risks, creativity, and emotional signals get worked through one after another instead of mixed together. | 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 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 | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-6 Wochen | 45-90 min | 15-30 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 4-12 | 2-6 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan | Perspective Notes, Decision Inputs, Action Items | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause | FacilitationOptionsDecision | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |