View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Innovation TRIZ |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Innovation Contradiction Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. | When a system should improve while another measure suffers as a result, the method makes the underlying conflict precisely formulable. It separates the desired effect from its side effect. This makes solutions possible that address the contradiction deliberately instead of half-heartedly. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 45-90 min | 1-4 h | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-5 | 3-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Contradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution Concepts | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Contradiction Statement, Abstraction Notes, Solution Principles, Concept Ideas |
Tags1 shared | InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | ContradictionsInnovationProblem solving |