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| Criterion |  Facilitation Timeline |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Facilitation Dot Voting |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a project, incident, or change process is only remembered in fragments, Timeline brings the sequence back into a readable form. It makes turning points, precursors, and after-effects recognizable over the course of time. | 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. | When a workshop has produced too many options and the group needs to condense quickly, dot voting makes preferences visible in a short time. It bundles individual votes into a solid signal for the next selection. | 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 | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 45-90 min | 5-15 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-12 | 2-5 | 3-20 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Timeline, Milestones, Insight Notes | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Ranked list, Consensus signal, Shortlist | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | TimelineFacilitationSequence | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | FacilitationVotingConsensusPrioritization | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |