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| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Operations Process Mapping |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | With a confusing workflow that has many handoffs, the method makes the actual process visible. It shows where work is passed on, delayed, or duplicated, so improvement targets the right spots. | For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly. | 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 | Low | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 1-3 h | 1-6 Wochen | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-10 | 4-10 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | ProcessOperationsImprovement | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |