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| Criterion |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Decision Making Force Field Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | 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 | Medium | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 45-90 min | 45-90 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-5 | 2-8 | 3-12 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Force Field Map, Change Levers, Risk Notes | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | ChangeDecisionStrategy | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |