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Selected:Fishbone DiagramFailure Mode and Effects AnalysisCausal Loop DiagramBehavior Over Time Graph
| Criterion |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |  Systems Thinking Behavior Over Time Graph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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. | A Causal Loop Diagram makes feedback, reinforcement, and balance in a system legible. It uncovers side effects and self-reinforcement that stay hidden in linear explanations. | A Behavior Over Time Graph shows how a metric or observation develops over time. The method makes trends, breaks, and recurring patterns visible that get lost in snapshots. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-60 min | 2-6 h | 1-3 h | 20-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-10 | 2-8 | 1-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points | Behavior Over Time Graph, Trend Hypotheses, Key Events |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeQualityOperations | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics | Systems thinkingPatternsDynamics |