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| Criterion | ![]() Delivery Value Stream Mapping | ![]() Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree | ![]() Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram | ![]() 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. | A Current Reality Tree condenses many symptoms into a few causal chains. The method makes visible which core problems drive several negative effects at once. | A Causal Loop Diagram makes feedback, reinforcement, and balance in a system legible. It uncovers side effects and self-reinforcement that stay hidden in linear explanations. | 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 | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 2-6 h | 1-3 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 3-8 | 2-8 | 2-6 |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Current-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck list | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | LeanFlowWasteDelivery | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |



