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| Criterion | ![]() Operations Time Blocking | ![]() Delivery Value Stream Mapping | ![]() Engineering Kanban | ![]() Operations ALPEN Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | With a calendar that grows on request, the method makes available time explicit again. It combines appointments, focus work, and buffer into a more realistic day structure. | 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 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. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-30 min Planung, laufend | 1-3 h | Ongoing | 10-20 min daily |
Participantsdifferent | 1 | 4-10 | 2-12 | 1 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Blocked Calendar, Capacity View, Focus Plan | Current-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck list | Kanban board, WIP policies, Flow metrics | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes |
Tagsno overlap | PlanningTime managementFocus | LeanFlowWasteDelivery | FlowVisual managementDelivery | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations |



