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| Criterion |  Innovation Design Thinking |  Operations 5 Whys |  Innovation TRIZ |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For complex user problems with an uncertain cause, the method connects observation, interpretation, and experiment into a learning cycle. It keeps the focus on real needs and avoids premature solution language. This produces robust decisions for product and service. | 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 technical contradictions or trade-offs, the method looks for solutions that resolve opposing requirements at the same time. It translates limits into an explicit picture of conflict that becomes workable. This produces not just compromises but more elegant principles. | 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 | High | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | 15-30 min | 1-4 h | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 2-6 | 2-8 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Contradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution Concepts | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | InnovationPrototypeResearch | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |