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| Criterion | ![]() Operations Gemba Walk | ![]() Decision Making Constraint Analysis | ![]() Decision Making Cynefin Workshop | ![]() Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | When problems are unclear, chaotic, or only seemingly familiar, standard recipes fall short. A Cynefin Workshop sorts situations by the nature of their problem and connects them with matching action logic. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-120 min | 30-90 min | 60-180 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 2-8 | 4-20 | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Cynefin Map, Domain-specific Actions, Sensemaking Notes | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | LeanObservationProcessOperations | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | ComplexitySensemakingDecision | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |



