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| Criterion |  Operations After-Action Review |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |  Decision Making Decision Rights Mapping |  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. | 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. | In organizations with many stakeholders, it often blurs who actually decides and who is merely consulted. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Decision Rights matrix and an agreement. | 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 | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 2-8 h | 90-180 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 2-8 | 4-12 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | Decision Rights Matrix, Agreement | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | LearningOperationsImprovement | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |