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| Criterion |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Delivery Value Stream Mapping |  Operations After-Action Review |  Operations Kaizen Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 delivery work dissolves into wait times, handoffs, and hidden effort, Value Stream Mapping makes the actual flow visible. The method exposes bottlenecks, idle time, and feedback loops so lead time and improvement levers become tangible. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-120 min | 1-3 h | 20-45 min | 0.5-5 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 4-10 | 3-12 | 4-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Current-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck list | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Kaizen Charter, Waste List, Improvement Experiments, Standard Work Update |
Tagsno overlap | LeanObservationProcessOperations | LeanFlowWasteDelivery | LearningOperationsImprovement | LeanContinuous improvementOperations |