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Criterion
Paper illustration of an eight-panel idea sheet with varied sketches beside a timer set to eight minutes.
Innovation
Crazy 8s
A 5 Whys working surface connects an observable problem with evidenced causes, marked uncertainty and concrete countermeasures with ownership.
Operations
5 Whys
Paper illustration for Kepner-Tregoe
Operations
Kepner-Tregoe
A3 Problem-Solving workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
A3 Problem Solving
Purposedifferent
With only a few minutes available and a still-fuzzy solution search, the method forces a wide range of variants. It produces fast sketches before the first idea can settle in, making different directions directly comparable and open to further development.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.For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations.For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together.
Complexitydifferent
LowLowHighMedium
Timedifferent
8-15 min15-30 min2-8 h45-90 min
Participantsdifferent
1-102-62-82-5
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Sketch Set, Idea Shortlist, Direction OptionsRoot cause notes, CountermeasuresProblem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk PlanA3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis
Tagsno overlap
BrainstormingSketchingSpeedDivergenceDesign sprint
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations
LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations
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