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| Criterion |  Operations Barrier Analysis |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  DevOps ChatOps |  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 an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | For operational work in a distributed team, the method links communication with direct system control. It records decisions right where the signal, the context, and the execution come together. | 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 | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | 2-6 h | Ongoing | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 3-10 | 2-20 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Chat Transcript, Action Log, Automations | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tags1 shared | Root causeSafetyIncident | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | CollaborationEngineeringIncident | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |