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Criterion
Paper illustration of Futures Wheel with its method-specific working model.
Systems Thinking
Futures Wheel
Paper illustration of a Polarity Map with two poles and four quadrants
Systems Thinking
Polarity Mapping
Paper illustration for Trade-off Analysis.
Decision Making
Trade-off Analysis
Purposedifferent
The Futures Wheel helps explore the consequences of a decision, a trend, or a strategic move in a structured way. It makes visible which first, second, and third-order effects could arise from an event.Polarity Mapping makes tensions between two opposing poles tangible, such as standardization and adaptation or control and autonomy. The method guards against making apparent either-or decisions prematurely.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.
Complexitysame
MediumMediumMedium
Timedifferent
60-120 min1-2 h45-120 min
Participantsdifferent
3-103-122-8
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Futures Wheel, Consequence Chains, Strategic SignalsPolarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance ActionsTrade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides
Tagsno overlap
ForesightSystems thinkingSignals
Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership
TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration of a decision table with criteria rows, weighted ratings, and a narrowly leading alternative.
Decision Making
Decision Matrix
Paper illustration for Constraint Analysis.
Decision Making
Constraint Analysis
Paper illustration for Decision Framing Workshop.
Decision Making
Decision Framing Workshop
Decision Tree method illustration showing its working structure
Decision Making
Decision Tree