View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Futures Wheel |  Decision Making Trade-off Analysis |  Systems Thinking Leverage Points |  Decision Making Decision Matrix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | Leverage Points show exactly where interventions in a system produce a disproportionate effect. It draws relationships, patterns, and feedback loops. The result is captured as a leverage map and action strategy. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 60-120 min | 45-120 min | Half day | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 3-12 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Futures Wheel, Consequence Chains, Strategic Signals | Trade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides | Leverage Map, Action Strategy | Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected Option |
Tagsno overlap | ForesightSystems thinkingSignals | TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions | Systems thinkingChangeStrategy | DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs |