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| Criterion |  Operations PDCA Cycle |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Operations Kaizen Event |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | A Current Reality Tree condenses many symptoms into a few causal chains. The method makes visible which core problems drive several negative effects at once. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 2-6 h | 0.5-5 Tage | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | 3-8 | 4-10 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Kaizen Charter, Waste List, Improvement Experiments, Standard Work Update | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions |
Tagsno overlap | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | LeanContinuous improvementOperations | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline |