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| Criterion |  Product Strategy Impact Mapping |  Innovation Lean Startup |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a goal needs to be connected to several possible paths, it shows chains of impact instead of feature lists. It connects business goal, behavior change, and measures. | For uncertain business assumptions, the method forces the idea into contact with real market reactions early. It separates wishful picture, assumption, and observable behavior, so that learning becomes faster than planning. This translates uncertainty into measurable insight. | 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. | 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 | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | Wochen bis Monate je Lernzyklus | 15-30 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-8 | 2-6 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Impact Map, Outcome Hypotheses, Delivery Options | Hypothesis list, MVPs, Learning reports, Pivot or persevere decision | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | OutcomesStrategyBehaviorPlanning | LeanStartupValidationMVP | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |