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Criterion
Gap Analysis method illustration showing its working structure
Business Strategy
GAP Analysis
Paper illustration of a decision table with criteria rows, weighted ratings, and a narrowly leading alternative.
Decision Making
Decision Matrix
A hypothetical failure makes concrete risks, signals, and fitting mitigations visible.
Decision Making
Pre-Mortem
Paper illustration for Trade-off Analysis.
Decision Making
Trade-off Analysis
Purposedifferent
GAP Analysis compares the current state with a target picture and makes the distance manageable. It becomes useful when, ahead of new initiatives, it must become clear which capabilities, processes, or resources are missing.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.In early initiatives with many uncertainties, planning quickly turns too optimistic. A pre-mortem makes the expected failure visible in advance and sharpens the view of causes, gaps, and countermeasures.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
MediumMediumLowMedium
Timedifferent
1-3 h45-90 min20–45 min45-120 min
Participantsdifferent
2-82-8Small cross-functional group2-8
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk NotesDecision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected OptionRisk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption logTrade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides
Tagsno overlap
StrategyAnalysisPlanning
DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs
RiskDecisionFailurePlanning
TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions
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