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| Criterion |  Facilitation Dot Estimation |  Operations ALPEN Method |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |  Decision Making Pre-Mortem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When size or effort can only be estimated roughly, Dot Estimation condenses the group's experience into a quick range. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as an Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, and Discussion Targets. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. | For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. | In early initiatives with many uncertainties, planning quickly turns too optimistic. A pre-mortem makes the expected failure visible in advance and sharpens the view of causes, gaps, and countermeasures. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 5-20 min | 10-20 min daily | 2-8 h | 20–45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 | 1 | 2-8 | Small cross-functional group |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, Discussion Targets | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | Risk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption log |
Tagsno overlap | EstimationEffortRisk | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | RiskDecisionFailurePlanning |