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| Criterion |  Innovation How Might We |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations Kaizen Event |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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 tightly scoped process segment with noticeable waste, the method bundles shared energy for change. It suits situations that call for fast learning loops and visible adjustments. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30–45 min | 30-120 min | 0.5-5 Tage | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 2-6 | 4-10 | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea Prompts | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Kaizen Charter, Waste List, Improvement Experiments, Standard Work Update | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions | LeanObservationProcessOperations | LeanContinuous improvementOperations | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |