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| Criterion |  Innovation Design Thinking |  Innovation Lean Startup |  Operations 5 Whys |  Innovation Design Sprint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 uncertain business assumptions, the method forces the idea into contact with real market reactions early. It separates wishful picture, assumption, and observable behavior, so that learning becomes faster than planning. This translates uncertainty into measurable insight. | 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 the product question is unclear and time pressure is high, the method takes a team from an open idea to a testable solution. It connects problem understanding, decision, and learning in one compact format, lowering the risk of spending a lot of energy on a mere guess. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | Wochen bis Monate je Lernzyklus | 15-30 min | 4-5 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 2-8 | 2-6 | 5-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Hypothesis list, MVPs, Learning reports, Pivot or persevere decision | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Prototype, Test Findings, Decision Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | InnovationPrototypeResearch | LeanStartupValidationMVP | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | Design sprintPrototypeValidationInnovation |