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| Criterion |  Operations Waste Analysis |  Delivery Value Stream Mapping |  Knowledge Modeling Knowledge Mapping |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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. | Knowledge Mapping makes knowledge, gaps, and transfer paths visible across a field. It fits when expertise should not just exist but also be findable and transferable. | 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 | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-120 min | 1-3 h | 1-3 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 4-10 | 3-12 | 2-6 |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Waste Map, Prioritized Waste, Improvement Backlog | Current-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck list | Knowledge Map, Critical Knowledge Areas, Transfer Plan | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | WasteLeanProcess improvement | LeanFlowWasteDelivery | KnowledgeMappingRisk | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |