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| Criterion |  Operations Process Mapping |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Innovation TRIZ |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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. | 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 single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 30-120 min | 1-4 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-6 | 2-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Contradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution Concepts | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | ProcessOperationsImprovement | LeanObservationProcessOperations | InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |