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| Criterion |  Product Discovery Working Backwards |  Operations PDCA Cycle |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  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. | 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. | A Current Reality Tree condenses many symptoms into a few causal chains. The method makes visible which core problems drive several negative effects at once. | 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 | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 4-8 h, mehrere Iterationen | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 2-6 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 1-8 | 3-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Future Press Release, FAQ, Vision Statement | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | VisionNarrativeAlignment | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |