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| Criterion |  Engineering Goal Question Metric |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Helps clarify technical problems, hypotheses, and next steps in concrete terms. It breaks a technical problem into testable parts. The result is captured as a GQM table and metric briefs. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. | 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 | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 90-180 min | 15-30 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-6 | 2-6 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | GQM Table, Metric Profiles | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | MetricsMeasurementEngineeringAlignment | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |
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