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| Criterion |  Operations PDCA Cycle |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Engineering Fault Isolation |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. | In technical failures, the visible symptom often gets mixed up with the actual cause. Fault Isolation narrows the fault space and progressively reduces which part of the system is truly affected. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 45-90 min | 30-180 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | 2-5 | 1-6 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Fault Isolation Map, Test Log, Excluded Hypotheses, Narrowed Fault Area |
Tagsno overlap | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | TroubleshootingDiagnosisEngineering |
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.
