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| Criterion |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations PDCA Cycle |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
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 an improvement that still has to prove itself in everyday work, the method runs it through small learning loops. It connects planning, checking, and standardization into a repeatable learning mode. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-120 min | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 1-8 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | LeanObservationProcessOperations | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |
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