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| Criterion |  Innovation How Might We |  Operations Fault Tree Analysis |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  Operations Barrier Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 a critical top event with several possible triggers, the method logically models failure paths. It makes visible which combinations of conditions can lead to damage. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30–45 min | 2-6 h | 2-6 h | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 3-8 | 3-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea Prompts | Fault Tree, Critical Paths, Cause Hypotheses, Control Actions | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions | RiskRoot causeSafety | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | Root causeSafetyIncident |