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| Criterion |  Operations Bottleneck Analysis |  Operations Gemba Walk |  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. | 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. | 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 | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 30-120 min | 30-90 min | 10-20 min daily |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-6 | 2-8 | 1 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Bottleneck Map, Flow Metrics, Improvement Options, Follow-up Measures | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes |
Tagsno overlap | FlowMeasurementConstraints | LeanObservationProcessOperations | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations |