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| Criterion | ![]() Operations PDCA Cycle | ![]() Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis | ![]() Innovation Contradiction Analysis | ![]() Innovation TRIZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 problem with several suspected causes, the method builds a causal structure instead of a mere list. It makes visible how causes connect and where the strongest points of leverage lie. | When a system should improve while another measure suffers as a result, the method makes the underlying conflict precisely formulable. It separates the desired effect from its side effect. This makes solutions possible that address the contradiction deliberately instead of half-heartedly. | For technical contradictions or trade-offs, the method looks for solutions that resolve opposing requirements at the same time. It translates limits into an explicit picture of conflict that becomes workable. This produces not just compromises but more elegant principles. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 1-3 h | 60-120 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | 2-8 | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | Contradiction Statement, Abstraction Notes, Solution Principles, Concept Ideas | Contradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution Concepts |
Tagsno overlap | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | ContradictionsInnovationProblem solving | InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity |



