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| Criterion |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | 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. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. | For a problem with several suspected causes, the method builds a causal structure instead of a mere list. It makes visible how causes connect and where the strongest points of leverage lie. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 30-90 min | 2-6 h | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-6 | 2-8 | 3-10 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | DecisionTreeOptions | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality |