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| Criterion |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Growth A/B Testing |  Innovation Lean Startup |  Product Discovery Smoke Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. | When two variants compete, discussions quickly decide by taste rather than effect. A/B Testing checks behavior under controlled conditions and separates real improvement from chance or expectation effects. | For uncertain business assumptions, the method forces the idea into contact with real market reactions early. It separates wishful picture, assumption, and observable behavior, so that learning becomes faster than planning. This translates uncertainty into measurable insight. | When demand only needs to be roughly verified, it tests interest with minimal effort. It measures whether people would take a next step at all. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 1-4 Wochen | Wochen bis Monate je Lernzyklus | 1-5 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 2-5 | 1-6 | 2-8 | Nutzertraffic |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Experiment results, Decision log, Learning summary | Hypothesis list, MVPs, Learning reports, Pivot or persevere decision | Interest Metrics, Conversion Signal, Learning Note |
Tagsno overlap | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | ExperimentsGrowthAnalyticsValidation | LeanStartupValidationMVP | ValidationExperimentsDemandGrowth |