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| Criterion |  Operations After-Action Review |  Innovation Contradiction Analysis |  Operations Learning Review |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When a system should improve while another measure suffers as a result, the method makes the underlying conflict precisely formulable. It separates the desired effect from its side effect. This makes solutions possible that address the contradiction deliberately instead of half-heartedly. | 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 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 | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 60-120 min | 1-3 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 2-8 | 3-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Contradiction Statement, Abstraction Notes, Solution Principles, Concept Ideas | Learning Review Notes, System Factors, Improvement Actions | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | LearningOperationsImprovement | ContradictionsInnovationProblem solving | LearningRetrospectiveIncidentOperations | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |