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| Criterion | ![]() Systems Thinking Rich Picture | ![]() Operations Barrier Analysis | ![]() Operations A3 Problem Solving | ![]() Operations Kepner-Tregoe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | A Rich Picture brings an unclear situation onto a shared drawing. It captures actors, tensions, information flows, and blind spots before the team jumps to solutions too early. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. | 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 | Low | Medium | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 2-4 h | 45-90 min | 2-8 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-10 | 2-6 | 2-5 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Rich Picture, Problem Framing Notes | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization | Root causeSafetyIncident | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations |



