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| Criterion | ![]() Decision Making Decision Matrix | ![]() Systems Thinking Evaporating Cloud | ![]() Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology | ![]() Decision Making Trade-off Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When several options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared logic. | The method makes visible why two seemingly incompatible demands arise and which assumption must be tested to resolve the conflict. | 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. | With limited resources, quality, speed, cost, and risk almost always compete with each other. Trade-off Analysis makes these tensions explicit and prevents decisions from producing hidden side effects. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 60-120 min | 0.5-3 Tage | 45-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-8 | 5-15 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected Option | Conflict Cloud, Assumption List, Breakthrough Ideas, Next Experiments | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | Trade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides |
Tagsno overlap | DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs | Theory of ConstraintsAssumptionsSystems thinking | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions |



