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| Criterion |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations Process Mapping |  Product Discovery Assumption Mapping |  Operations After-Action Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | When assumptions still sit unordered in the room, it weighs uncertainty against leverage. It makes visible which hypotheses should be checked first. | After missions or project phases with unclear outcomes, the method makes visible what actually happened and what can be learned from it. It separates course, effect, and causes so experience turns into solid improvement. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-120 min | 1-3 h | 45-60 min | 20-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 3-10 | 2-8 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Assumption map, Test backlog, Risk ranking | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary |
Tagsno overlap | LeanObservationProcessOperations | ProcessOperationsImprovement | AssumptionsRiskExperimentsValidation | LearningOperationsImprovement |