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| Criterion |  Product Discovery Working Backwards |  Operations ALPEN Method |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When the target state and benefit need to be clear first, it thinks backward from the desired outcome into the product logic. It sharpens vision, objections, and value proposition before elaboration. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. | 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. | 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 | Medium | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 4-8 h, mehrere Iterationen | 10-20 min daily | 1-4 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 1 | 3-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Future Press Release, FAQ, Vision Statement | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | VisionNarrativeAlignment | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |