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Criterion
Gemba Walk workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
Gemba Walk
Four paper stations connect system purpose, quality goals, risk cards and focused investigation with a target and gap profile.
Architecture
LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)
Paper illustration for Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Operations
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
A 5 Whys working surface connects an observable problem with evidenced causes, marked uncertainty and concrete countermeasures with ownership.
Operations
5 Whys
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.LASR helps development teams identify where their software falls short of important quality goals and which improvements to consider. A small group with existing system knowledge can make an initial assessment and investigate open questions in more detail.For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability.For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumHighLow
Timedifferent
30-120 min3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional2-6 h15-30 min
Participantsdifferent
2-61 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people3-102-6
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Observation Notes, Improvement IdeasLean Mission Statement describing the software’s purpose, Prioritized quality goals and evaluation criteria, Risks and estimated gaps against quality goals, More closely examined findings and open checksFMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation ActionsRoot cause notes, Countermeasures
Tagsno overlap
LeanObservationProcessOperations
ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean
RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
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