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| Criterion |  Operations Family Tree Analysis |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Operations Barrier Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a series of incidents with a similar pattern, the method arranges individual events as branches of a common origin. It makes visible which conditions keep recurring. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | 15-45 min | 2-6 h | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 1-3 | 3-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Family Tree Diagram, Pattern Notes, Systemic Measures | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | Root causePatternsIncidentSystemic | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Root causeSafetyIncident |