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| Criterion |  Innovation Lean Startup |  Operations Kaizen Event |  Operations PDCA Cycle |  Product Discovery Assumption Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. | When assumptions still sit unordered in the room, it weighs uncertainty against leverage. It makes visible which hypotheses should be checked first. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | Wochen bis Monate je Lernzyklus | 0.5-5 Tage | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 45-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 4-10 | 1-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Hypothesis list, MVPs, Learning reports, Pivot or persevere decision | Kaizen Charter, Waste List, Improvement Experiments, Standard Work Update | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | Assumption map, Test backlog, Risk ranking |
Tagsno overlap | LeanStartupValidationMVP | LeanContinuous improvementOperations | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | AssumptionsRiskExperimentsValidation |