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| Criterion | ![]() Operations Visual Management | ![]() Systems Thinking Future Reality Tree | ![]() Operations Causal Factor Analysis | ![]() Operations Barrier 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. | A Future Reality Tree shows how desired actions are meant to lead to a better system state. The method checks whether a path of change holds together logically before time flows into implementation. | 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. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | Ongoing | 2-4 h | 2-6 h | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-20 | 3-8 | 3-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Visual Board, Status Indicators, Exception Cues | Future Reality Tree, Negative Branches, Assumption List, Improved Injections | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | SignalsOperationsVisual management | Theory of ConstraintsSystems thinkingChange | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Root causeSafetyIncident |



