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| Criterion |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Innovation Worst Possible Idea |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |  Innovation Lotus Blossom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 central question feels too large, the method breaks it into neighboring topic fields with their own depth of ideation. It holds structure and openness at the same time, so adjacent perspectives don't get lost. This grows an idea space out of a core problem. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-120 min | 20-45 min | 2-8 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 3-12 | 2-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Bad Idea List, Reframed Concepts, Idea Shortlist | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | Lotus Diagram, Idea Themes, Shortlist |
Tagsno overlap | LeanObservationProcessOperations | IdeationCreativityDivergence | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityDivergenceWorkshop |