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| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 0.5-3 Tage | 30-90 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 5-15 | 1-6 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | DecisionTreeOptions | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality |