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| Criterion |  Operations Process Mapping |  Operations After-Action Review |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | After missions or project phases with unclear outcomes, the method makes visible what actually happened and what can be learned from it. It separates course, effect, and causes so experience turns into solid improvement. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 20-45 min | 2-6 h | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 3-12 | 3-10 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog |
Tags1 shared | ProcessOperationsImprovement | LearningOperationsImprovement | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | Root causeQualityOperations |