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| Criterion |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Operations MORT Analysis |  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. | 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. | For a safety-relevant event or a system with high protection requirements, the method examines where controls failed. It exposes both technical and organizational gaps. | 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 | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 30-90 min | Mehrere Tage bis Wochen | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 2-6 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | MORT Worksheets, Findings per Branch, Corrective Actions, Systemic Recommendations | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | Root causeSafetySystemicIncident | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |