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| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Decision Making Argument Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Soft Systems Methodology helps explore unclear or politically charged problems systematically. Instead of forcing a quick answer, the method builds a shared understanding of perspectives and room for action. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 0.5-3 Tage | 45-90 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 5-15 | 2-8 | 1-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | SensemakingDecisionRationale |