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| Criterion | ![]() Decision Making Constraint Analysis | ![]() Systems Thinking Intervention Mapping | ![]() Operations Causal Factor Analysis | ![]() 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. | Intervention Mapping translates a need for change into a planned, evaluable program. The method connects target group, determinants, actions, and measurement into a traceable chain. | 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. | 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 | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 1-5 Tage | 2-6 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 4-12 | 3-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Logic Model, Change Objectives, Intervention Components, Evaluation Plan | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | ChangeSystems thinkingCapability | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |



