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Criterion
Visual Management workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
Visual Management
A 5 Whys working surface connects an observable problem with evidenced causes, marked uncertainty and concrete countermeasures with ownership.
Operations
5 Whys
Paper illustration of a decision table with criteria rows, weighted ratings, and a narrowly leading alternative.
Decision Making
Decision Matrix
Paper illustration for Root Cause Analysis.
Operations
Root Cause Analysis
Purposedifferent
With high tempo and many parallel topics, the method makes status, deviations, and priorities visible at a glance. It reduces search effort and prevents what matters from getting lost in daily work.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 several options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared logic.When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another.
Complexitydifferent
LowLowMediumMedium
Timedifferent
Ongoing15-30 min45-90 min1-4 h
Participantsdifferent
1-202-62-83-8
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Visual Board, Status Indicators, Exception CuesRoot cause notes, CountermeasuresDecision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected OptionProblem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan
Tagsno overlap
SignalsOperationsVisual management
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs
Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident
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