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| Criterion |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Knowledge Modeling Concept Mapping |  Knowledge Modeling Knowledge 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. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | Concept Mapping arranges terms and relationships in a network that makes subject-matter connections tangible. It fits when a topic needs to be understood structurally rather than linearly. | Knowledge Mapping makes knowledge, gaps, and transfer paths visible across a field. It fits when expertise should not just exist but also be findable and transferable. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-120 min | 45-90 min | 1-2 h | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 2-8 | 1-8 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Concept Map, Relationship Labels, Knowledge Gaps | Knowledge Map, Critical Knowledge Areas, Transfer Plan |
Tagsno overlap | LeanObservationProcessOperations | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | KnowledgeConceptsMappingSensemaking | KnowledgeMappingRisk |