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| Criterion | ![]() Decision Making Constraint Analysis | ![]() Systems Thinking Iceberg Model | ![]() Decision Making Decision Tree | ![]() Operations Family Tree Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | The Iceberg Model separates visible events from patterns, structures, and mental models. This turns a single observation into a deeper understanding of why a problem keeps recurring. | 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. | For a series of incidents with a similar pattern, the method arranges individual events as branches of a common origin. It makes visible which conditions keep recurring. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 30-60 min | 30-90 min | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-10 | 1-6 | 2-6 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Iceberg Worksheet, Pattern Notes, Intervention Ideas | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Family Tree Diagram, Pattern Notes, Systemic Measures |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | Systems thinkingRoot causePatterns | DecisionTreeOptions | Root causePatternsIncidentSystemic |



