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| Criterion |  Facilitation Dot Estimation |  Agile Bucket System |  Facilitation Mind Mapping |  Agile Ideal Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When a large batch of work needs a fast, rough estimate, it sorts items into predefined size buckets. It sorts work by value, risk, and delivery ability. The result is captured as a Bucketed Backlog, Relative Estimates, and Split Candidates. | When a topic is still unclear and too many thoughts surface at once, Mind Mapping creates an open surface for ordering them. It makes connections, subtopics, and starting points visible without fixing them too early. | When effort needs to be thought of as real working time, it offers a simple common denominator for comparison. It sorts work by value, risk, and delivery ability. The result is captured as Ideal Day Estimates, Assumption Notes, and Capacity Caveats. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 5-20 min | 30-90 min | 15-45 min | 15-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 | 3-12 | 1-10 | 2-9 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, Discussion Targets | Bucketed Backlog, Relative Estimates, Split Candidates | Mind Map, Topic Clusters, Open Questions | Ideal Day Estimates, Assumption Notes, Capacity Caveats |
Tagsno overlap | EstimationEffortRisk | EstimationBacklogRelative sizing | BrainstormingIdeasMappingStructureFacilitation | EstimationEffortAgile |