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| Criterion |  Innovation Morphological Analysis |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |  Innovation TRIZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a search for solutions with many degrees of freedom, a grid emerges for systematic combinations. The method separates features, variants, and exclusion criteria, so the space gets explored deliberately. | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | 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 technical contradictions or trade-offs, the method looks for solutions that resolve opposing requirements at the same time. It translates limits into an explicit picture of conflict that becomes workable. This produces not just compromises but more elegant principles. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 2-6 h | 15-30 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-10 | 2-6 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Morphological Box, Concept Combinations, Idea Shortlist | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Contradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution Concepts |
Tagsno overlap | IdeationInnovationCreativity | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity |