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| Criterion |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Decision Making Trade-off Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
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 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. | With limited resources, quality, speed, cost, and risk almost always compete with each other. Trade-off Analysis makes these tensions explicit and prevents decisions from producing hidden side effects. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 30-120 min | 45-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-5 | 2-6 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Trade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides |
Tagsno overlap | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | LeanObservationProcessOperations | TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions |
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