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| Criterion |  Product Discovery Working Backwards |  Operations Ivy Lee Method |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 a restless workday full of too many open items, the method creates radical simplicity. It directs attention to a short sequence instead of a broad, still-open field. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 4-8 h, mehrere Iterationen | 5-10 min daily | 15-30 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 1 | 2-6 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Future Press Release, FAQ, Vision Statement | Daily Priority List, Completion Notes | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | VisionNarrativeAlignment | PrioritizationProductivityExecution | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |