methodatlas
Compare

View methods side by side.

Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.

Criterion
Paper illustration for Problem Framing Workshop.
Facilitation
Problem Framing Workshop
Paper fishbone diagram with a measurable effect at the head and six labeled cause branches.
Operations
Fishbone Diagram
Paper illustration of an assumption matrix with prioritized test cards
Decision Making
Assumption Surfacing
Paper illustration for Kepner-Tregoe
Operations
Kepner-Tregoe
Purposedifferent
When a team works on symptoms but the real question stays fuzzy, a Problem Framing Workshop sharpens the view of the right problem. It separates observation, interpretation, and target picture from each other.When a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers.Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it.For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations.
Complexitydifferent
LowLowLowHigh
Timedifferent
60-120 min30-60 min45-90 min2-8 h
Participantsdifferent
4-102-82-82-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Problem Statement, Scope Boundaries, Assumption List, Next Analysis QuestionsFishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation BacklogAssumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning PlanProblem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan
Tagsno overlap
FacilitationAlignmentDiscovery
Root causeQualityOperations
AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery
Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations
Add more methods