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| Criterion |  Operations After-Action Review |  Operations Standard Work Analysis |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 the same task is done differently depending on the person, the method exposes the reliable core. It creates comparability without unnecessarily choking off needed latitude. | 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. | When a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1-3 h | 30-120 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 2-6 | 2-6 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Standard Work Sheet, Deviation List, Improved Standard, Training Needs | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | LearningOperationsImprovement | LeanProcessQuality | LeanObservationProcessOperations | Root causeQualityOperations |