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| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Decision Making Trade-off Analysis |  Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | A Current Reality Tree condenses many symptoms into a few causal chains. The method makes visible which core problems drive several negative effects at once. | With limited resources, quality, speed, cost, and risk almost always compete with each other. Trade-off Analysis makes these tensions explicit and prevents decisions from producing hidden side effects. | A Causal Loop Diagram makes feedback, reinforcement, and balance in a system legible. It uncovers side effects and self-reinforcement that stay hidden in linear explanations. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 2-6 h | 45-120 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-8 | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Trade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics |