View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Innovation Worst Possible Idea |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |  Innovation Lotus Blossom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a seemingly familiar problem with paralyzing seriousness, the method dissolves pressure and fear of judgment. It deliberately makes failure pictures extreme, so hidden assumptions become visible faster. This clarifies what a workable path should avoid. | 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 an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly. | When a central question feels too large, the method breaks it into neighboring topic fields with their own depth of ideation. It holds structure and openness at the same time, so adjacent perspectives don't get lost. This grows an idea space out of a core problem. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1-4 h | 1-6 Wochen | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 3-8 | 4-10 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Bad Idea List, Reframed Concepts, Idea Shortlist | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan | Lotus Diagram, Idea Themes, Shortlist |
Tagsno overlap | IdeationCreativityDivergence | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityDivergenceWorkshop |