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| Criterion | ![]() Innovation Lean Startup | ![]() Operations Gemba Walk | ![]() Operations 5 Whys | ![]() Operations Kepner-Tregoe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For uncertain business assumptions, the method forces the idea into contact with real market reactions early. It separates wishful picture, assumption, and observable behavior, so that learning becomes faster than planning. This translates uncertainty into measurable insight. | When there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions. | 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 disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | High |
Timedifferent | Wochen bis Monate je Lernzyklus | 30-120 min | 15-30 min | 2-8 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-6 | 2-6 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Hypothesis list, MVPs, Learning reports, Pivot or persevere decision | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan |
Tagsno overlap | LeanStartupValidationMVP | LeanObservationProcessOperations | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations |



