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| Criterion |  Business Strategy GAP Analysis |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |  Operations ALPEN Method |  Decision Making Constraint 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. | For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 2-8 h | 10-20 min daily | 30-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-8 | 1 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions |