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| Criterion |  Operations Accountability Ladder |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |  Operations Barrier Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | With defensive reactions to problems, the method shifts the view from justification to ownership. It makes visible which reaction stage a person or team is currently stuck on. | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | A Causal Loop Diagram makes feedback, reinforcement, and balance in a system legible. It uncovers side effects and self-reinforcement that stay hidden in linear explanations. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 2-6 h | 1-3 h | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | 3-10 | 2-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Ownership Reflection, Action Commitment, Coaching Notes | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | ResponsibilityLeadershipTeam | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics | Root causeSafetyIncident |