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| Criterion |  Operations Process Mapping |  Operations Barrier Analysis |  Operations Root Cause Tree 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. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. | For a problem with several suspected causes, the method builds a causal structure instead of a mere list. It makes visible how causes connect and where the strongest points of leverage lie. | 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 | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 2-4 h | 1-3 h | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-6 | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | ProcessOperationsImprovement | Root causeSafetyIncident | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | Root causeQualityOperations |