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| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|
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 problem with several suspected causes, the method builds a causal structure instead of a mere list. It makes visible how causes connect and where the strongest points of leverage lie. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 1-3 h | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-8 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Async |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |
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