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| Criterion |  Operations Process Mapping |  Innovation Design Thinking |  Innovation TRIZ |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 complex user problems with an uncertain cause, the method connects observation, interpretation, and experiment into a learning cycle. It keeps the focus on real needs and avoids premature solution language. This produces robust decisions for product and service. | For technical contradictions or trade-offs, the method looks for solutions that resolve opposing requirements at the same time. It translates limits into an explicit picture of conflict that becomes workable. This produces not just compromises but more elegant principles. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | 1-4 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 4-10 | 2-8 | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Contradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution Concepts | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | ProcessOperationsImprovement | InnovationPrototypeResearch | InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |