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Criterion
Incident Command workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
DevOps
Incident Command
Paper illustration of an assumption matrix with prioritized test cards
Decision Making
Assumption Surfacing
A 5 Whys working surface connects an observable problem with evidenced causes, marked uncertainty and concrete countermeasures with ownership.
Operations
5 Whys
Paper illustration for Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Operations
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Purposedifferent
During an acute incident with several people involved, the method creates a clear leadership and communication structure. It reduces chaos when fast coordination and clean situational awareness are both needed at once.Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it.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.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.
Complexitydifferent
MediumLowLowHigh
Timedifferent
As needed45-90 min15-30 min2-6 h
Participantsdifferent
4-152-82-63-10
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Incident Log, Action Tracker, Stakeholder UpdatesAssumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning PlanRoot cause notes, CountermeasuresFMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions
Tagsno overlap
IncidentOperationsReliability
AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause
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