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| Criterion |  Operations Accountability Ladder |  Systems Thinking Iceberg Model |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  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. | The Iceberg Model separates visible events from patterns, structures, and mental models. This turns a single observation into a deeper understanding of why a problem keeps recurring. | 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 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 | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 30-60 min | 2-6 h | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | 2-10 | 3-10 | 2-6 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Ownership Reflection, Action Commitment, Coaching Notes | Iceberg Worksheet, Pattern Notes, Intervention Ideas | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | ResponsibilityLeadershipTeam | Systems thinkingRoot causePatterns | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Root causeSafetyIncident |