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| Criterion |  Decision Making Pareto Analysis |  Agile WSJF |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | In many problem situations, effect is distributed unequally across many causes. A Pareto Analysis separates the few drivers with high leverage from the long remainder and focuses attention on what measurably moves the needle. | When many tasks compete for the same capacity, it orders work by economic impact. It makes time lost, benefit, and effort comparable together. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. | 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 | Low | High | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-60 min | 45-90 min | 2-6 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-6 | 3-10 | 3-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Pareto Chart, Top Causes, Focus List | Ranked Backlog, Cost-of-Delay Assumptions | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | PrioritizationQualityFocusRoot cause | LeanEconomicsSequencePrioritization | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |