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| Criterion |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations Bottleneck Analysis |  Operations Process Mapping |  Operations After-Action Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 flow that backs up at one point, the method looks for the capacity limit with the greatest leverage. It explains why extra effort elsewhere barely improves throughput. | With a confusing workflow that has many handoffs, the method makes the actual process visible. It shows where work is passed on, delayed, or duplicated, so improvement targets the right spots. | After missions or project phases with unclear outcomes, the method makes visible what actually happened and what can be learned from it. It separates course, effect, and causes so experience turns into solid improvement. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-120 min | 1-3 h | 1-3 h | 20-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 3-8 | 3-10 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Bottleneck Map, Flow Metrics, Improvement Options, Follow-up Measures | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary |
Tagsno overlap | LeanObservationProcessOperations | FlowMeasurementConstraints | ProcessOperationsImprovement | LearningOperationsImprovement |