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| Criterion |  Operations PDCA Cycle |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Operations ALPEN Method |  Operations Gemba Walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. | When there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 30-90 min | 10-20 min daily | 30-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | 2-8 | 1 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations | LeanObservationProcessOperations |