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| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 15-45 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 1-3 | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |
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