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 Waste Analysis |  Delivery Communication Plan |  Engineering Kanban |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | When many people need to be informed in parallel and messages would otherwise arrive unevenly or too late, a Communication Plan orders communication reliably. Channels, audiences, and cadences interlock so important information doesn't get lost. | When work sits in too many parallel streams, throughput suffers and no one sees the bottlenecks. Kanban makes the flow of work visible and limits overload so a system becomes calmer and more predictable. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 45-120 min | 45-90 min | Ongoing |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 2-8 | 2-6 | 2-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Current-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck list | Waste Map, Prioritized Waste, Improvement Backlog | Communication Plan, Channel Matrix, Message Cadence | Kanban board, WIP policies, Flow metrics |
Tagsno overlap | LeanFlowWasteDelivery | WasteLeanProcess improvement | CommunicationStakeholdersDeliveryPlanning | FlowVisual managementDelivery |