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Criterion
Gap Analysis method illustration showing its working structure
Business Strategy
GAP Analysis
Paper illustration for Trade-off Analysis.
Decision Making
Trade-off Analysis
Paper illustration for Constraint Analysis.
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.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.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
MediumMediumLow
Timedifferent
1-3 h45-120 min30-90 min
Participantssame
2-82-82-8
Formatsame
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk NotesTrade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted DownsidesConstraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries
Tagsno overlap
StrategyAnalysisPlanning
TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions
ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions
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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 TOWS Matrix.
Business Strategy
TOWS Matrix
Paper illustration for Decision Framing Workshop.
Decision Making
Decision Framing Workshop
Decision Tree method illustration showing its working structure
Decision Making
Decision Tree