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| Criterion |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Operations Fault Tree Analysis |  Operations Family Tree 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. | For a critical top event with several possible triggers, the method logically models failure paths. It makes visible which combinations of conditions can lead to damage. | For a series of incidents with a similar pattern, the method arranges individual events as branches of a common origin. It makes visible which conditions keep recurring. | 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 | 2-6 h | 2-4 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 3-8 | 2-6 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Fault Tree, Critical Paths, Cause Hypotheses, Control Actions | Family Tree Diagram, Pattern Notes, Systemic Measures | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tags1 shared | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | RiskRoot causeSafety | Root causePatternsIncidentSystemic | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |