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| Criterion |  Operations Process Mapping |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations After-Action Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 30-120 min | 20-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 2-6 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary |
Tagsno overlap | ProcessOperationsImprovement | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | LeanObservationProcessOperations | LearningOperationsImprovement |