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| Criterion |  Innovation TRIZ |  Operations ALPEN Method |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. | 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 | High | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 10-20 min daily | 30-120 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 1 | 2-6 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Contradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution Concepts | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations | LeanObservationProcessOperations | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |