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| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Systems Thinking Systems Mapping |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Systems Thinking Future 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. | Systems Mapping arranges elements, relationships, and boundaries so a complex field becomes legible at a glance. The overview stabilizes the overall picture before detail work or steering begins. | 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 Future Reality Tree shows how desired actions are meant to lead to a better system state. The method checks whether a path of change holds together logically before time flows into implementation. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 1-3 h | 30-90 min | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-12 | 1-6 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | System Map, Dependencies, Leverage Points | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Future Reality Tree, Negative Branches, Assumption List, Improved Injections |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | Systems thinkingMappingBoundariesChange | DecisionTreeOptions | Theory of ConstraintsSystems thinkingChange |