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| Criterion |  Operations After-Action Review |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Process Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | With a confusing workflow that has many handoffs, the method makes the actual process visible. It shows where work is passed on, delayed, or duplicated, so improvement targets the right spots. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 15-30 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 2-6 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | LearningOperationsImprovement | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | ProcessOperationsImprovement |
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.
