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| Criterion |  Innovation TRIZ |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For technical contradictions or trade-offs, the method looks for solutions that resolve opposing requirements at the same time. It translates limits into an explicit picture of conflict that becomes workable. This produces not just compromises but more elegant principles. | 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. | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | High | High |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 45-90 min | 2-6 h | 2-8 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-5 | 3-10 | 2-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Contradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution Concepts | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan |
Tagsno overlap | InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations |