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| Criterion |  Delivery Value Stream Mapping |  Operations Process Mapping |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Gemba Walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 1-3 h | 15-30 min | 30-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 3-10 | 2-6 | 2-6 |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Current-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck list | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | LeanFlowWasteDelivery | ProcessOperationsImprovement | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | LeanObservationProcessOperations |