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| Criterion |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Innovation Worst Possible Idea |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |  Innovation Brainstorming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 a seemingly familiar problem with paralyzing seriousness, the method dissolves pressure and fear of judgment. It deliberately makes failure pictures extreme, so hidden assumptions become visible faster. This clarifies what a workable path should avoid. | For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. | When a team faces an open question with many obvious directions, the method first creates breadth instead of premature commitment. It separates idea flow from evaluation and makes lines of thought visible, creating a pool for selection and further development. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-120 min | 20-45 min | 2-8 h | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 3-12 | 2-8 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Bad Idea List, Reframed Concepts, Idea Shortlist | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | Idea pool, Theme clusters, Shortlist |
Tagsno overlap | LeanObservationProcessOperations | IdeationCreativityDivergence | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityWorkshopDivergence |