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Criterion
Gemba Walk workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
Gemba Walk
A 5 Whys working surface connects an observable problem with evidenced causes, marked uncertainty and concrete countermeasures with ownership.
Operations
5 Whys
Value Stream Mapping workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Delivery
Value Stream Mapping
Purposedifferent
When there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions.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.When delivery work dissolves into wait times, handoffs, and hidden effort, Value Stream Mapping makes the actual flow visible. The method exposes bottlenecks, idle time, and feedback loops so lead time and improvement levers become tangible.
Complexitydifferent
LowLowMedium
Timedifferent
30-120 min15-30 min1-3 h
Participantsdifferent
2-62-64-10
Formatsame
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Observation Notes, Improvement IdeasRoot cause notes, CountermeasuresCurrent-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck list
Tags1 shared
LeanObservationProcessOperations
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
LeanFlowWasteDelivery
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A3 Problem-Solving workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
A3 Problem Solving
Paper illustration for Kepner-Tregoe
Operations
Kepner-Tregoe
Paper illustration for Root Cause Analysis.
Operations
Root Cause Analysis
Paper illustration for 8D Problem Solving.
Operations
8D Problem Solving