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| Criterion |  Operations DMAIC |  Decision Making Pre-Mortem |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a process problem with fluctuating performance, the method brings analysis and improvement into a disciplined sequence. It creates a framework in which numbers, causes, and control come together. | In early initiatives with many uncertainties, planning quickly turns too optimistic. A pre-mortem makes the expected failure visible in advance and sharpens the view of causes, gaps, and countermeasures. | 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 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 | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 2-12 Wochen | 20–45 min | 15-30 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | Small cross-functional group | 2-6 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Project Charter, Measurement Plan, Cause Analysis, Control Plan | Risk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption log | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | Continuous improvementQualityProcess improvement | RiskDecisionFailurePlanning | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |