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| Criterion | ![]() Operations Root Cause Analysis | ![]() Operations Kepner-Tregoe | ![]() 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. | 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. | 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 | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 2-8 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-8 | 2-5 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tags1 shared | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |
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