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Criterion
Paper illustration of a decision table with criteria rows, weighted ratings, and a narrowly leading alternative.
Decision Making
Decision Matrix
A 5 Whys working surface connects an observable problem with evidenced causes, marked uncertainty and concrete countermeasures with ownership.
Operations
5 Whys
Value Stream Mapping workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Delivery
Value Stream Mapping
Paper illustration for Root Cause Analysis.
Operations
Root Cause Analysis
Purposedifferent
When several options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared logic.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.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.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
MediumLowMediumMedium
Timedifferent
45-90 min15-30 min1-3 h1-4 h
Participantsdifferent
2-82-64-103-8
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected OptionRoot cause notes, CountermeasuresCurrent-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck listProblem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan
Tagsno overlap
DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
LeanFlowWasteDelivery
Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident
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