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| Criterion |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |  Facilitation Dot Estimation |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. | When size or effort can only be estimated roughly, Dot Estimation condenses the group's experience into a quick range. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as an Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, and Discussion Targets. | 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 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 | High | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 2-8 h | 5-20 min | 45-90 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-20 | 2-8 | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, Discussion Targets | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | EstimationEffortRisk | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |