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| Criterion |  Decision Making Decision Matrix |  Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. | 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 | Medium | High | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 0.5-3 Tage | 30-90 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 5-15 | 2-8 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected Option | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality |