View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Decision Making Decision Tree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | 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. | When research notes, feedback, or observations sit unconnected side by side, affinity diagramming sorts the raw material into solid themes. Many individual points turn into patterns that make decisions and opportunities clearer. | For decisions with follow-on paths and dependencies, a linear comparison is often not enough. A Decision Tree shows how options branch under conditions and which consequences hang on each branch. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 45-90 min | 45–90 min | 30-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-8 | 3-10 | 1-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | DecisionTreeOptions |