View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Decision Making Pre-Mortem |  Operations ALPEN Method |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 30-60 min | 20–45 min | 10-20 min daily | 2-8 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Small cross-functional group | 1 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Risk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption log | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeQualityOperations | RiskDecisionFailurePlanning | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations |