View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Operations Waste Analysis |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Engineering Kanban |  Operations Kaizen Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 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. | 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. | For a tightly scoped process segment with noticeable waste, the method bundles shared energy for change. It suits situations that call for fast learning loops and visible adjustments. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-120 min | 30-120 min | Ongoing | 0.5-5 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-6 | 2-12 | 4-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Waste Map, Prioritized Waste, Improvement Backlog | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Kanban board, WIP policies, Flow metrics | Kaizen Charter, Waste List, Improvement Experiments, Standard Work Update |
Tagsno overlap | WasteLeanProcess improvement | LeanObservationProcessOperations | FlowVisual managementDelivery | LeanContinuous improvementOperations |