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| Criterion | ![]() Operations After-Action Review | ![]() Facilitation Lean Coffee | ![]() Operations Process Mapping | ![]() Operations Gemba Walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 group without a fixed agenda needs to get into useful conversations quickly, Lean Coffee structures the start around interests rather than a presentation. The group itself negotiates which topics get time first and which wait. | 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. | When there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 30-90 min | 1-3 h | 30-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 3-20 | 3-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Prioritized Topics, Discussion Notes, Action Items | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | LearningOperationsImprovement | FacilitationAutonomyDialogue | ProcessOperationsImprovement | LeanObservationProcessOperations |



