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| Criterion |  Operations PDCA Cycle |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Decision Making Decision Rights Mapping |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. | In organizations with many stakeholders, it often blurs who actually decides and who is merely consulted. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Decision Rights matrix and an agreement. | 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 | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 1-4 h | 90-180 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | 3-8 | 4-12 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Decision Rights Matrix, Agreement | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |