View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Delivery Value Stream Mapping |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations Theory of Constraints |  Operations Bottleneck Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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 system that does not get faster despite effort, the method directs attention to the bottleneck. It concentrates improvement on the point that actually limits throughput. | For a flow that backs up at one point, the method looks for the capacity limit with the greatest leverage. It explains why extra effort elsewhere barely improves throughput. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 30-120 min | 2-4 h Analyse, laufend | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 2-6 | 3-12 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Current-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck list | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Constraint Map, Improvement Plan, Flow Metrics | Bottleneck Map, Flow Metrics, Improvement Options, Follow-up Measures |
Tagsno overlap | LeanFlowWasteDelivery | LeanObservationProcessOperations | OperationsConstraintsFlowImprovement | FlowMeasurementConstraints |