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| Criterion |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | 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 problem with several suspected causes, the method builds a causal structure instead of a mere list. It makes visible how causes connect and where the strongest points of leverage lie. | For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 15-30 min | 1-3 h | 1-6 Wochen |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-6 | 2-8 | 4-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause |