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Criterion
Four paper collections for projects, responsibilities, resources and archives.
Knowledge Modeling
PARA Method
Paper illustration of an assumption matrix with prioritized test cards
Decision Making
Assumption Surfacing
A hypothetical failure makes concrete risks, signals, and fitting mitigations visible.
Decision Making
Pre-Mortem
Paper illustration for ALPEN Method
Operations
ALPEN Method
Purposedifferent
The PARA Method organizes knowledge into Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives. It creates order when digital notes, files, and tasks no longer cleanly fit current work.Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it.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 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.
Complexitydifferent
MediumLowLowLow
Timedifferent
1-3 h Setup, laufend45-90 min20–45 min10-20 min daily
Participantsdifferent
12-8Small cross-functional group1
Formatdifferent
AsyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshopAsync
Outputdifferent
PARA Structure, Project Notes, Knowledge ArchiveAssumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning PlanRisk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption logDaily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes
Tagsno overlap
KnowledgeProductivityOrganization
AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery
RiskDecisionFailurePlanning
PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations
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