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| Criterion | ![]() Innovation TRIZ | ![]() Operations Gemba Walk | ![]() Operations Root Cause Analysis | ![]() Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 30-120 min | 1-4 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-6 | 3-8 | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Contradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution Concepts | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity | LeanObservationProcessOperations | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |



