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| Criterion |  Operations After-Action Review |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Learning Review |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | After missions or project phases with unclear outcomes, the method makes visible what actually happened and what can be learned from it. It separates course, effect, and causes so experience turns into solid improvement. | 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. | After a project phase with mixed results, the method makes learning from the individual case reusable. It connects events, decisions, and systemic conditions into robust insights. | 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 | Low | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 15-30 min | 1-3 h | 2-8 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 2-6 | 3-10 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Learning Review Notes, System Factors, Improvement Actions | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan |
Tagsno overlap | LearningOperationsImprovement | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | LearningRetrospectiveIncidentOperations | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations |