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| Criterion |  Operations Bottleneck Analysis |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Operations ALPEN Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a flow that backs up at one point, the method looks for the capacity limit with the greatest leverage. It explains why extra effort elsewhere barely improves throughput. | 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 an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 45-90 min | 30-90 min | 10-20 min daily |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-5 | 2-8 | 1 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Bottleneck Map, Flow Metrics, Improvement Options, Follow-up Measures | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes |
Tagsno overlap | FlowMeasurementConstraints | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations |