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| Criterion |  Knowledge Modeling Concept Mapping |  Delivery Value Stream Mapping |  Operations Waste Analysis |  Engineering Kanban |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Concept Mapping arranges terms and relationships in a network that makes subject-matter connections tangible. It fits when a topic needs to be understood structurally rather than linearly. | When delivery work dissolves into wait times, handoffs, and hidden effort, Value Stream Mapping makes the actual flow visible. The method exposes bottlenecks, idle time, and feedback loops so lead time and improvement levers become tangible. | For a process that keeps people busy but creates little value, the method exposes waste. It directs attention to unnecessary movement, waiting times, rework, and overdelivery. | When work sits in too many parallel streams, throughput suffers and no one sees the bottlenecks. Kanban makes the flow of work visible and limits overload so a system becomes calmer and more predictable. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 1-3 h | 45-120 min | Ongoing |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | 4-10 | 2-8 | 2-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Concept Map, Relationship Labels, Knowledge Gaps | Current-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck list | Waste Map, Prioritized Waste, Improvement Backlog | Kanban board, WIP policies, Flow metrics |
Tagsno overlap | KnowledgeConceptsMappingSensemaking | LeanFlowWasteDelivery | WasteLeanProcess improvement | FlowVisual managementDelivery |