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| Criterion |  Innovation How Might We |  Operations Process Mapping |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |  Operations Root Cause 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. | 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. | For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly. | 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 | Low | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30–45 min | 1-3 h | 1-6 Wochen | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 3-10 | 4-10 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea Prompts | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions | ProcessOperationsImprovement | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |