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Criterion
Paper illustration for Evaporating Cloud.
Systems Thinking
Evaporating Cloud
Paper illustration of a decision table with criteria rows, weighted ratings, and a narrowly leading alternative.
Decision Making
Decision Matrix
Paper illustration for Future Reality Tree.
Systems Thinking
Future Reality Tree
Paper illustration for Trade-off Analysis.
Decision Making
Trade-off Analysis
Purposedifferent
The method makes visible why two seemingly incompatible demands arise and which assumption must be tested to resolve the conflict.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.A Future Reality Tree shows how desired actions are meant to lead to a better system state. The method checks whether a path of change holds together logically before time flows into implementation.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.
Complexitydifferent
MediumMediumHighMedium
Timedifferent
60-120 min45-90 min2-4 h45-120 min
Participantsdifferent
2-82-83-82-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Conflict Cloud, Assumption List, Breakthrough Ideas, Next ExperimentsDecision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected OptionFuture Reality Tree, Negative Branches, Assumption List, Improved InjectionsTrade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides
Tagsno overlap
Theory of ConstraintsAssumptionsSystems thinking
DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs
Theory of ConstraintsSystems thinkingChange
TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions
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