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| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology |  Operations MORT Analysis |  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. | Soft Systems Methodology helps explore unclear or politically charged problems systematically. Instead of forcing a quick answer, the method builds a shared understanding of perspectives and room for action. | For a safety-relevant event or a system with high protection requirements, the method examines where controls failed. It exposes both technical and organizational gaps. | 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 | High | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 0.5-3 Tage | Mehrere Tage bis Wochen | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 5-15 | 2-6 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | MORT Worksheets, Findings per Branch, Corrective Actions, Systemic Recommendations | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | Root causeSafetySystemicIncident | Root causeSafetyIncident |