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| Criterion |  Operations After-Action Review |  Innovation Design Thinking |  Operations Process Mapping |  Innovation Double Diamond |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 complex user problems with an uncertain cause, the method connects observation, interpretation, and experiment into a learning cycle. It keeps the focus on real needs and avoids premature solution language. This produces robust decisions for product and service. | 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. | For complex problems with a fuzzy situation, the method cleanly separates search space and decision. It first creates breadth in understanding and then focus in elaboration. This brings open questions, problem definition, and solution path into a traceable movement. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | 1-3 h | Wochen bis Monate |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 4-10 | 3-10 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Problem Statement, Solution Options, Prototypes, Deliverables per Phase |
Tagsno overlap | LearningOperationsImprovement | InnovationPrototypeResearch | ProcessOperationsImprovement | ProcessDivergenceInnovation |