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| Criterion |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Innovation Design Thinking |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  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. | For complex user problems with an uncertain cause, the method connects observation, interpretation, and experiment into a learning cycle. It keeps the focus on real needs and avoids premature solution language. This produces robust decisions for product and service. | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. | 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 | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-120 min | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | 1-4 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 4-10 | 3-8 | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | LeanObservationProcessOperations | InnovationPrototypeResearch | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |