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| Criterion |  Operations Kaizen Event |  Product Discovery Smoke Test |  Operations PDCA Cycle |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | When demand only needs to be roughly verified, it tests interest with minimal effort. It measures whether people would take a next step at all. | For an improvement that still has to prove itself in everyday work, the method runs it through small learning loops. It connects planning, checking, and standardization into a repeatable learning mode. | 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 | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 0.5-5 Tage | 1-5 Tage | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | Nutzertraffic | 1-8 | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Kaizen Charter, Waste List, Improvement Experiments, Standard Work Update | Interest Metrics, Conversion Signal, Learning Note | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | LeanContinuous improvementOperations | ValidationExperimentsDemandGrowth | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |