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| Criterion |  Innovation How Might We |  Operations After-Action Review |  Operations Process Mapping |  Operations Gemba Walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | With a stuck problem carrying many implicit assumptions, the method translates observations into open, workable questions. It sharpens the problem frame without pre-thinking the solution, turning frustration or fuzziness into a search space with clear direction. | 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. | 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 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 30–45 min | 20-45 min | 1-3 h | 30-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 3-12 | 3-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea Prompts | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions | LearningOperationsImprovement | ProcessOperationsImprovement | LeanObservationProcessOperations |