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| Criterion |  Operations Change Analysis |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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 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 | Medium | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-120 min | 2-6 h | 30-90 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 3-10 | 2-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |