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