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| Criterion | ![]() Systems Thinking Futures Wheel | ![]() Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis | ![]() Operations A3 Problem Solving | ![]() Operations Fishbone Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The Futures Wheel helps explore the consequences of a decision, a trend, or a strategic move in a structured way. It makes visible which first, second, and third-order effects could arise from an event. | 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. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 60-120 min | 2-6 h | 45-90 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 3-10 | 2-5 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Futures Wheel, Consequence Chains, Strategic Signals | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | ForesightSystems thinkingSignals | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | Root causeQualityOperations |



