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| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Standard Work Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | 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 the same task is done differently depending on the person, the method exposes the reliable core. It creates comparability without unnecessarily choking off needed latitude. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 15-30 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-6 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Standard Work Sheet, Deviation List, Improved Standard, Training Needs |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | LeanProcessQuality |
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.
