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| Criterion |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |  Business Strategy Strategic, Tactical and Operational Planning |  Business Strategy Strategy Execution Loop |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | It places decisions and artifacts at the right level. Strategic planning clarifies direction, tactical planning translates it into programs, and operational planning steers concrete processes. | The Strategy Execution Loop helps avoid treating strategy as a one-off document. It makes visible how strategic decisions are turned into objectives, initiatives, operational work, measurement, and learning. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-8 h | 90-180 min | Initial 3-6 h, then monthly or quarterly reviews | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 4-12 | 5-12 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | Planning Levels Map, Cadence Model, Planning Artifact Inventory | Execution Loop, Review Cadence, Strategic Learning Log | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | CadenceGovernanceExecution | ExecutionCadenceLearningGovernance | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |