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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Evaporating Cloud |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The method makes visible why two seemingly incompatible demands arise and which assumption must be tested to resolve the conflict. | For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 60-120 min | 2-8 h | 45-90 min | 1-6 Wochen |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-8 | 2-8 | 4-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Conflict Cloud, Assumption List, Breakthrough Ideas, Next Experiments | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | Theory of ConstraintsAssumptionsSystems thinking | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause |