View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Architecture Request for Comments |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  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. | An RFC clarifies architecture context, options, and consequences. It structures technical context, alternatives, tradeoffs, open questions, and review feedback, and captures the result as an RFC document, reviewer comments, and a decision rationale. | 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. | 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 | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 2-6 h | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-20 Reviewer | 3-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics |