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| Criterion |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Engineering Golden Path |  Operations Kaizen Event |  Operations Process 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. | When teams need a reliable default path for frequent use, sprawl quickly emerges without any guiding logic. Golden Path bundles the preferred path so good practice becomes easy and deviation becomes deliberate. | For a tightly scoped process segment with noticeable waste, the method bundles shared energy for change. It suits situations that call for fast learning loops and visible adjustments. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-120 min | 1-3 Tage Setup, laufend | 0.5-5 Tage | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 2-8 | 4-10 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Golden Path Guide, Templates, Quality Checks | Kaizen Charter, Waste List, Improvement Experiments, Standard Work Update | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | LeanObservationProcessOperations | EngineeringProductivityGovernance | LeanContinuous improvementOperations | ProcessOperationsImprovement |