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| Criterion |  Product Discovery User Story Mapping |  Operations Process Mapping |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations ALPEN Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When user goals and delivery scope could drift apart, it orders the journey from goal to slice. It makes visible where an MVP can genuinely be cut. | With a confusing workflow that has many handoffs, the method makes the actual process visible. It shows where work is passed on, delayed, or duplicated, so improvement targets the right spots. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | 1-3 h | 30-120 min | 10-20 min daily |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 3-10 | 2-6 | 1 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Async |
Outputdifferent | Story Map, Release Slices, Backlog Candidates | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes |
Tagsno overlap | BacklogJourneyPlanningMVP | ProcessOperationsImprovement | LeanObservationProcessOperations | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations |