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| Criterion |  Operations Change Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |  Business Strategy Value Chain Analysis |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a deviation after a change, the method isolates the influence of the altered condition. It narrows down which differences are relevant and which are just accompanying noise. | 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. | Value Chain Analysis shows where value is created, costs accrue, and differentiation becomes possible along the process. It compares strengths, risks, market logic, and courses of action. The result is captured as a value-chain map and lever list. | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-120 min | 15-30 min | Half day | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 2-6 | 3-8 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Value Chain Map, Lever List | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | StrategyBusiness modelDiagnosisAnalysis | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |