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| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Operations Barrier 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 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 1-3 h | 15-45 min | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-8 | 1-3 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | Root causeSafetyIncident |