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| Criterion |  Operations After-Action Review |  Operations Process 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. | 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 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 | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1-3 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 3-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | LearningOperationsImprovement | ProcessOperationsImprovement | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.
