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| Criterion |  Operations Fault Tree Analysis |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Innovation Reverse Brainstorming |  Innovation Brainstorming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a critical top event with several possible triggers, the method logically models failure paths. It makes visible which combinations of conditions can lead to damage. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | For persistent errors or blockages, the method shifts the view to the opposite of the desired effect. It exposes the mechanics of failure and makes hidden causes easier to grasp. This makes improvement more concrete and the problem clearer. | When a team faces an open question with many obvious directions, the method first creates breadth instead of premature commitment. It separates idea flow from evaluation and makes lines of thought visible, creating a pool for selection and further development. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 45-90 min | 30-60 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-8 | 3-12 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Fault Tree, Critical Paths, Cause Hypotheses, Control Actions | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Reverse Ideas, Risk Themes, Solution Ideas | Idea pool, Theme clusters, Shortlist |
Tagsno overlap | RiskRoot causeSafety | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityRisk | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityWorkshopDivergence |