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| Criterion |  Operations Accountability Ladder |  Operations Fault Tree Analysis |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 a critical top event with several possible triggers, the method logically models failure paths. It makes visible which combinations of conditions can lead to damage. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 2-6 h | 2-6 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | 3-8 | 3-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Ownership Reflection, Action Commitment, Coaching Notes | Fault Tree, Critical Paths, Cause Hypotheses, Control Actions | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | ResponsibilityLeadershipTeam | RiskRoot causeSafety | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |