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 Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Innovation Reverse Brainstorming |  Innovation Lotus Blossom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | 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 persistent errors or blockages, the method shifts the view to the opposite of the desired effect. It exposes the mechanics of failure and makes hidden causes easier to grasp. This makes improvement more concrete and the problem clearer. | When a central question feels too large, the method breaks it into neighboring topic fields with their own depth of ideation. It holds structure and openness at the same time, so adjacent perspectives don't get lost. This grows an idea space out of a core problem. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 30-60 min | 30-60 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 3-12 | 3-10 |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Reverse Ideas, Risk Themes, Solution Ideas | Lotus Diagram, Idea Themes, Shortlist |
Tagsno overlap | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | Root causeQualityOperations | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityRisk | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityDivergenceWorkshop |