View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion | ![]() Operations Change Analysis | ![]() Decision Making Pre-Mortem | ![]() Operations Barrier Analysis | ![]() Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a deviation after a change, the method isolates the influence of the altered condition. It narrows down which differences are relevant and which are just accompanying noise. | In early initiatives with many uncertainties, planning quickly turns too optimistic. A pre-mortem makes the expected failure visible in advance and sharpens the view of causes, gaps, and countermeasures. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-120 min | 20–45 min | 2-4 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | Small cross-functional group | 2-6 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List | Risk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption log | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison | RiskDecisionFailurePlanning | Root causeSafetyIncident | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery |



