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| Criterion |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Operations Standard Work Analysis |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When the same task is done differently depending on the person, the method exposes the reliable core. It creates comparability without unnecessarily choking off needed latitude. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 30-120 min | 45-90 min | 1-3 h | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 2-8 | 2-6 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Standard Work Sheet, Deviation List, Improved Standard, Training Needs | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | LeanObservationProcessOperations | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | LeanProcessQuality | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |