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| Criterion |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |  DevOps Incident Command |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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. | During an acute incident with several people involved, the method creates a clear leadership and communication structure. It reduces chaos when fast coordination and clean situational awareness are both needed at once. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-60 min | 1-3 h | As needed | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-8 | 4-15 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | Incident Log, Action Tracker, Stakeholder Updates | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeQualityOperations | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | IncidentOperationsReliability | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |