View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Delivery Value Stream Mapping |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When delivery work dissolves into wait times, handoffs, and hidden effort, Value Stream Mapping makes the actual flow visible. The method exposes bottlenecks, idle time, and feedback loops so lead time and improvement levers become tangible. | When a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 1-3 h | 30-60 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 4-10 | 2-8 | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Current-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck list | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | LeanFlowWasteDelivery | Root causeQualityOperations | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |