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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Polarity Mapping |  Operations Theory of Constraints |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations Bottleneck Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Polarity Mapping makes tensions between two opposing poles tangible, such as standardization and adaptation or control and autonomy. The method guards against making apparent either-or decisions prematurely. | For a system that does not get faster despite effort, the method directs attention to the bottleneck. It concentrates improvement on the point that actually limits throughput. | 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. | For a flow that backs up at one point, the method looks for the capacity limit with the greatest leverage. It explains why extra effort elsewhere barely improves throughput. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 2-4 h Analyse, laufend | 30-120 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 3-12 | 2-6 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Polarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance Actions | Constraint Map, Improvement Plan, Flow Metrics | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Bottleneck Map, Flow Metrics, Improvement Options, Follow-up Measures |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership | OperationsConstraintsFlowImprovement | LeanObservationProcessOperations | FlowMeasurementConstraints |