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| Criterion | ![]() Facilitation Dot Estimation | ![]() Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis | ![]() Operations Root Cause Analysis | ![]() Operations Barrier Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When size or effort can only be estimated roughly, Dot Estimation condenses the group's experience into a quick range. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as an Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, and Discussion Targets. | 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 problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 5-20 min | 1-3 h | 1-4 h | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 | 2-8 | 3-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, Discussion Targets | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | EstimationEffortRisk | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | Root causeSafetyIncident |



