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| Criterion |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Decision Making Delphi Method |  Systems Thinking Wardley Mapping |  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 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. | Wardley Mapping makes visible where an offering stands today and where it can evolve. The method connects user need, value chain, and evolution stages into a strategic basis for platform, build, or buy decisions. | 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 | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 1-4 Wochen | 1-3 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 6-30 Experten | 2-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Expert Forecast, Consensus Range, Assumption Notes | Wardley Map, Strategic Options, Evolution Notes | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | ForecastingExpertsDecisionStrategy | StrategySystems thinkingDynamics | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |