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| Criterion |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |  Operations ALPEN Method |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  Decision Making Pre-Mortem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-8 h | 10-20 min daily | 2-6 h | 20–45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 1 | 3-10 | Small cross-functional group |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Risk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption log |
Tagsno overlap | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | RiskDecisionFailurePlanning |