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| Criterion |  Operations Process Mapping |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | 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. | 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 | Medium | Low | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 30-90 min | 45-90 min | 2-8 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 2-5 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ProcessOperationsImprovement | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations |