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| Criterion |  Operations ABC Analysis |  Decision Making Trade-off Analysis |  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. | 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. | 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 | 45-120 min | 15-30 min | 2-8 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 2-8 | 2-6 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ABC Classification, Focus Rules, Control List | Trade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan |
Tagsno overlap | PrioritizationOperationsPortfolio | TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations |