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| Criterion |  Operations Visual Management |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Operations After-Action Review |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | After missions or project phases with unclear outcomes, the method makes visible what actually happened and what can be learned from it. It separates course, effect, and causes so experience turns into solid improvement. | 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 | Low | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | Ongoing | 2-6 h | 20-45 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-20 | 3-10 | 3-12 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Visual Board, Status Indicators, Exception Cues | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | SignalsOperationsVisual management | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | LearningOperationsImprovement | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |