View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion | ![]() Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) | ![]() Operations PDCA Cycle | ![]() Operations 5 Whys | ![]() Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification. | For an improvement that still has to prove itself in everyday work, the method runs it through small learning loops. It connects planning, checking, and standardization into a repeatable learning mode. | 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. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 15-30 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 1-8 | 2-6 | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |



