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| Criterion |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 an initiative depends on many people, interests, and power dynamics, Stakeholder Mapping systematically orders the environment. It shows who influences, who is affected, and where relationship management or safeguarding matters first. | 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. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 60–90 min | 1-4 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-5 | 2-8 | 3-8 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |