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| Criterion |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Innovation Brainstorming |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Innovation Lotus Blossom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 a team faces an open question with many obvious directions, the method first creates breadth instead of premature commitment. It separates idea flow from evaluation and makes lines of thought visible, creating a pool for selection and further development. | When there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions. | When a central question feels too large, the method breaks it into neighboring topic fields with their own depth of ideation. It holds structure and openness at the same time, so adjacent perspectives don't get lost. This grows an idea space out of a core problem. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 30-60 min | 30-120 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-5 | 4-12 | 2-6 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Idea pool, Theme clusters, Shortlist | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Lotus Diagram, Idea Themes, Shortlist |
Tagsno overlap | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityWorkshopDivergence | LeanObservationProcessOperations | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityDivergenceWorkshop |