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| Criterion | ![]() Systems Thinking Future Reality Tree | ![]() Decision Making Decision Matrix | ![]() Decision Making Delphi Method | ![]() Decision Making Trade-off Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | 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. | When knowledge is distributed and direct dominance should be avoided, groups quickly fall under the sway of their opinion leaders. The Delphi Method gathers assessments iteratively and gradually brings expert judgments closer together. | 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 | High | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | 45-90 min | 1-4 Wochen | 45-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-8 | 6-30 Experten | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Future Reality Tree, Negative Branches, Assumption List, Improved Injections | Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected Option | Expert Forecast, Consensus Range, Assumption Notes | Trade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides |
Tagsno overlap | Theory of ConstraintsSystems thinkingChange | DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs | ForecastingExpertsDecisionStrategy | TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions |



