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| Criterion |  Delivery Value Stream Mapping |  Knowledge Modeling Concept Mapping |  Operations Waste Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When delivery work dissolves into wait times, handoffs, and hidden effort, Value Stream Mapping makes the actual flow visible. The method exposes bottlenecks, idle time, and feedback loops so lead time and improvement levers become tangible. | Concept Mapping arranges terms and relationships in a network that makes subject-matter connections tangible. It fits when a topic needs to be understood structurally rather than linearly. | For a process that keeps people busy but creates little value, the method exposes waste. It directs attention to unnecessary movement, waiting times, rework, and overdelivery. | 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 | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 1-2 h | 45-120 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 1-8 | 2-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Current-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck list | Concept Map, Relationship Labels, Knowledge Gaps | Waste Map, Prioritized Waste, Improvement Backlog | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | LeanFlowWasteDelivery | KnowledgeConceptsMappingSensemaking | WasteLeanProcess improvement | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |