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| Criterion |  Operations Barrier Analysis |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. | 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. | 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. | 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 | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | 45-90 min | 30-60 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 2-5 | 2-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeSafetyIncident | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | Root causeQualityOperations | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |