methodatlas
Compare

View methods side by side.

Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.

Criterion
Paper illustration of many question cards around one challenge
Facilitation
Question Burst
Paper illustration for Alignment Mapping.
Facilitation
Alignment Mapping
A 5 Whys working surface connects an observable problem with evidenced causes, marked uncertainty and concrete countermeasures with ownership.
Operations
5 Whys
Paper illustration for Root Cause Analysis.
Operations
Root Cause Analysis
Purposedifferent
When a problem gets covered up too quickly with answers, Question Burst puts the better question at the center. The format opens the thinking space before the group commits to an interpretation.When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable.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.When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumLowMedium
Timedifferent
15-30 min1-2 h15-30 min1-4 h
Participantsdifferent
2-84-122-63-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Question List, Reframed Challenge, Learning PromptsAlignment Map, Open Issues, Decision QuestionsRoot cause notes, CountermeasuresProblem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan
Tagsno overlap
QuestionsReframingFacilitationSensemaking
AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident
Add more methods