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| Criterion |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Agile Example Mapping |  Agile Specification by Example |  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 a story carries business rules and exceptions, it brings clarity before implementation. It makes examples, open questions, and boundaries visible enough that the logic becomes jointly sound. | When business rules need to become precise, it ties language, example, and test together. It sorts work by value, risk, and delivery ability. The result is captured as an Example Table and Acceptance Tests. | 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 | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 30-60 min | 60-90 min pro Feature | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 3-7 | 3-6 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Example Map, Acceptance Criteria, Open Questions | Example Table, Acceptance Tests | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Behavior-Driven DevelopmentRequirementsExamplesRefinement | AgileRequirementsExamplesBehavior-Driven Development | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |