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| Criterion |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Facilitation Six Thinking Hats |  Knowledge Modeling IBIS |  Decision Making Trade-off 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 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. | IBIS structures thinking about complex questions as a sequence of issues, ideas, and arguments. The method keeps discussions open without forcing them into premature consensus. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 45-90 min | 1-3 h | 45-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-6 | 4-12 | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Perspective Notes, Decision Inputs, Action Items | Issue Map, Positions, Argument Notes | Trade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides |
Tags1 shared | DecisionTreeOptions | FacilitationOptionsDecision | RationaleKnowledgeDecision | TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions |