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| Criterion |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Operations Barrier Analysis |  Decision Making Delphi Method |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 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. | When knowledge is distributed and direct dominance should be avoided, groups quickly fall under the sway of their opinion leaders. The Delphi Method gathers assessments iteratively and gradually brings expert judgments closer 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 | High | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 2-4 h | 1-4 Wochen | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-6 | 6-30 Experten | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | Expert Forecast, Consensus Range, Assumption Notes | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Root causeSafetyIncident | ForecastingExpertsDecisionStrategy | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |