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| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  Decision Making Pre-Mortem |  Operations ALPEN Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. | 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. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 2-6 h | 20–45 min | 10-20 min daily |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-10 | Small cross-functional group | 1 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Async |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Risk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption log | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | RiskDecisionFailurePlanning | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations |