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| Criterion |  Product Discovery Working Backwards |  Operations PDCA Cycle |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Operations Family Tree 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 an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | For a series of incidents with a similar pattern, the method arranges individual events as branches of a common origin. It makes visible which conditions keep recurring. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 4-8 h, mehrere Iterationen | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 2-6 h | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 1-8 | 3-10 | 2-6 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Future Press Release, FAQ, Vision Statement | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Family Tree Diagram, Pattern Notes, Systemic Measures |
Tagsno overlap | VisionNarrativeAlignment | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Root causePatternsIncidentSystemic |