The question is not about where operads are used, I know that. It is about what makes them useful. For example, van Kampen diagrams are useful in combinatorial group theory because these are planar graphs and so one can use planar geometry (say, the Jordan lemma) to investigate the word problem in complicated groups. Similarly, asymptotic cones are useful in geometric group theory because they allow to study large scale properties of a discrete object (a group) by looking at small scale properties of a continuous object. I would like to know a similar answer for operads.
Update Many thanks to everybody for your answers. Unfortunately I can accept only one. So I just accept the first answer.
