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| Criterion | ![]() Operations Fishbone Diagram | ![]() Operations Fault Tree Analysis | ![]() Agile Example Mapping | ![]() Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. | For a critical top event with several possible triggers, the method logically models failure paths. It makes visible which combinations of conditions can lead to damage. | When a story carries business rules and exceptions, it brings clarity before implementation. It makes examples, open questions, and boundaries visible enough that the logic becomes jointly sound. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 30-60 min | 2-6 h | 30-60 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-8 | 3-7 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Fault Tree, Critical Paths, Cause Hypotheses, Control Actions | Example Map, Acceptance Criteria, Open Questions | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeQualityOperations | RiskRoot causeSafety | Behavior-Driven DevelopmentRequirementsExamplesRefinement | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |



