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| Criterion |  Innovation Design Thinking |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |  Innovation Contradiction Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 problem with several suspected causes, the method builds a causal structure instead of a mere list. It makes visible how causes connect and where the strongest points of leverage lie. | When a system should improve while another measure suffers as a result, the method makes the underlying conflict precisely formulable. It separates the desired effect from its side effect. This makes solutions possible that address the contradiction deliberately instead of half-heartedly. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | 1-3 h | 60-120 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 2-8 | 2-8 | 2-6 |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | Contradiction Statement, Abstraction Notes, Solution Principles, Concept Ideas | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | InnovationPrototypeResearch | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | ContradictionsInnovationProblem solving | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |