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| Criterion |  Innovation How Might We |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | CATWOE structures a problem from six viewpoints and prevents too narrow a view of the situation. Different experiences of the system become comparably discussable this way. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 30–45 min | 2-6 h | 45-90 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 3-10 | 3-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea Prompts | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |