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| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |  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. | The Software Architecture Canvas reduces a system to the most important architecture decisions, constraints, and interfaces. It is useful when teams need a resilient overall picture quickly. | The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails. | 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 | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 1-2 h | 1-2 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 3-10 | 3-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |