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| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |  Facilitation Six Thinking Hats |  Facilitation Alignment 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. | The TOWS Matrix connects internal strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats into action-oriented strategies. It goes a step further than a pure stocktaking. | When a topic gets stuck too quickly in the same thinking mode, Six Thinking Hats deliberately separates the perspectives. This means facts, risks, creativity, and emotional signals get worked through one after another instead of mixed together. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 1-2 h | 45-90 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-10 | 4-12 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | Perspective Notes, Decision Inputs, Action Items | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | StrategyAnalysisOptions | FacilitationOptionsDecision | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |