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| Criterion |  Operations Bottleneck Analysis |  Operations Theory of Constraints |  Operations Process Mapping |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 system that does not get faster despite effort, the method directs attention to the bottleneck. It concentrates improvement on the point that actually limits throughput. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 2-4 h Analyse, laufend | 1-3 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 3-12 | 3-10 | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Bottleneck Map, Flow Metrics, Improvement Options, Follow-up Measures | Constraint Map, Improvement Plan, Flow Metrics | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | FlowMeasurementConstraints | OperationsConstraintsFlowImprovement | ProcessOperationsImprovement | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |