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| Criterion |  Product Discovery Working Backwards |  Operations PDCA Cycle |  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. | For an improvement that still has to prove itself in everyday work, the method runs it through small learning loops. It connects planning, checking, and standardization into a repeatable learning mode. | 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 | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 15-30 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 1-8 | 2-6 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Future Press Release, FAQ, Vision Statement | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | VisionNarrativeAlignment | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |