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| Criterion |  Operations Process Mapping |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Operations Fault Tree Analysis |  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. | 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. | For a critical top event with several possible triggers, the method logically models failure paths. It makes visible which combinations of conditions can lead to damage. | 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 | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 30-60 min | 2-6 h | 20-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 3-8 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Fault Tree, Critical Paths, Cause Hypotheses, Control Actions | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary |
Tagsno overlap | ProcessOperationsImprovement | Root causeQualityOperations | RiskRoot causeSafety | LearningOperationsImprovement |