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| Criterion |  Operations ABC Analysis |  Engineering Kanban |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | With many similar objects of differing economic significance, the method prioritizes effort by effect. It separates what needs regular steering from what rarely needs attention. | When work sits in too many parallel streams, throughput suffers and no one sees the bottlenecks. Kanban makes the flow of work visible and limits overload so a system becomes calmer and more predictable. | 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. | For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 30-60 min | Ongoing | 15-30 min | 2-8 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 2-12 | 2-6 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ABC Classification, Focus Rules, Control List | Kanban board, WIP policies, Flow metrics | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan |
Tagsno overlap | PrioritizationOperationsPortfolio | FlowVisual managementDelivery | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations |