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Criterion
Gemba Walk workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
Gemba Walk
Paper illustration for Bottleneck Analysis.
Operations
Bottleneck Analysis
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 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.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
LowMediumMedium
Timedifferent
30-120 min1-3 h1-3 h
Participantsdifferent
2-63-84-10
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Observation Notes, Improvement IdeasBottleneck Map, Flow Metrics, Improvement Options, Follow-up MeasuresCurrent-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck list
Tagsno overlap
LeanObservationProcessOperations
FlowMeasurementConstraints
LeanFlowWasteDelivery
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Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration for Theory of Constraints.
Operations
Theory of Constraints
A3 Problem-Solving workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
A3 Problem Solving
Paper illustration for Kaizen Event.
Operations
Kaizen Event