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| Criterion |  Operations Process Mapping |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Innovation Starbursting |  Innovation Lotus Blossom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | With a confusing workflow that has many handoffs, the method makes the actual process visible. It shows where work is passed on, delayed, or duplicated, so improvement targets the right spots. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. | Helps clarify ideas, open questions, and testable next steps in concrete terms. It opens the thinking space, collects ideas, and leads to testable options. The result is captured as a star-shaped question map, question list, and assumption list. | When a central question feels too large, the method breaks it into neighboring topic fields with their own depth of ideation. It holds structure and openness at the same time, so adjacent perspectives don't get lost. This grows an idea space out of a core problem. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 45-90 min | 30-60 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-5 | 3-10 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Star-Shaped Question Map, Question List, Assumption List | Lotus Diagram, Idea Themes, Shortlist |
Tagsno overlap | ProcessOperationsImprovement | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | BrainstormingIdeationWorkshopDiscovery | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityDivergenceWorkshop |