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| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Innovation SCAMPER |  Innovation Contradiction Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 an existing solution under pressure to change, the method deliberately opens space for systematic variants. It directs attention to rebuilding, combining, and repurposing rather than only new basic ideas. This produces concrete evolution paths for products, offerings, or workflows. | When a system should improve while another measure suffers as a result, the method makes the underlying conflict precisely formulable. It separates the desired effect from its side effect. This makes solutions possible that address the contradiction deliberately instead of half-heartedly. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 30-60 min | 60-120 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-10 | 2-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | SCAMPER Idea List, Concept Shortlist, Variation Notes | Contradiction Statement, Abstraction Notes, Solution Principles, Concept Ideas | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityReframingInnovation | ContradictionsInnovationProblem solving | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |