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| Criterion |  Engineering Kanban |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Operations ALPEN Method |  Delivery Value Stream Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When work sits in too many parallel streams, throughput suffers and no one sees the bottlenecks. Kanban makes the flow of work visible and limits overload so a system becomes calmer and more predictable. | 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. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. | When delivery work dissolves into wait times, handoffs, and hidden effort, Value Stream Mapping makes the actual flow visible. The method exposes bottlenecks, idle time, and feedback loops so lead time and improvement levers become tangible. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | Ongoing | 45-90 min | 10-20 min daily | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-12 | 2-5 | 1 | 4-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Kanban board, WIP policies, Flow metrics | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes | Current-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck list |
Tagsno overlap | FlowVisual managementDelivery | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations | LeanFlowWasteDelivery |