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| Criterion |  Operations Bottleneck Analysis |  Operations After-Action Review |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations Process Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | After missions or project phases with unclear outcomes, the method makes visible what actually happened and what can be learned from it. It separates course, effect, and causes so experience turns into solid improvement. | When there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions. | With a confusing workflow that has many handoffs, the method makes the actual process visible. It shows where work is passed on, delayed, or duplicated, so improvement targets the right spots. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 20-45 min | 30-120 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 3-12 | 2-6 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Bottleneck Map, Flow Metrics, Improvement Options, Follow-up Measures | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | FlowMeasurementConstraints | LearningOperationsImprovement | LeanObservationProcessOperations | ProcessOperationsImprovement |