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| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |  Engineering Hypothesis-Driven Troubleshooting |  Operations MORT Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | When systems fail unexpectedly, spontaneous attempts often produce more noise than insight. Hypothesis-driven Troubleshooting translates symptoms into testable assumptions and makes troubleshooting learnable. | 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 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 | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 30-240 min | Mehrere Tage bis Wochen | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 1-6 | 2-6 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | Hypothesis Log, Test Plan, Evidence Notes, Diagnosis Summary | MORT Worksheets, Findings per Branch, Corrective Actions, Systemic Recommendations | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | TroubleshootingProblem solvingDiagnosis | Root causeSafetySystemicIncident | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |