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| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | 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 | Low | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 2-6 h | 15-45 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-10 | 1-3 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |