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 Theory of Constraints |  Engineering Kanban |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations Process Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a system that does not get faster despite effort, the method directs attention to the bottleneck. It concentrates improvement on the point that actually limits throughput. | When work sits in too many parallel streams, throughput suffers and no one sees the bottlenecks. Kanban makes the flow of work visible and limits overload so a system becomes calmer and more predictable. | When there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions. | With a confusing workflow that has many handoffs, the method makes the actual process visible. It shows where work is passed on, delayed, or duplicated, so improvement targets the right spots. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h Analyse, laufend | Ongoing | 30-120 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 2-12 | 2-6 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Constraint Map, Improvement Plan, Flow Metrics | Kanban board, WIP policies, Flow metrics | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | OperationsConstraintsFlowImprovement | FlowVisual managementDelivery | LeanObservationProcessOperations | ProcessOperationsImprovement |