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Criterion
Paper illustration of a calibrated five-by-five risk matrix with response cards.
Decision Making
Risk Matrix
Design Thinking as a learning loop: an observation notebook, a focused problem statement, different idea sketches, a cardboard prototype and user-test notes. Feedback leads to new understanding.
Innovation
Design Thinking
Paper illustration for Trade-off Analysis.
Decision Making
Trade-off Analysis
Purposedifferent
When a project faces many possible disruptions, it quickly becomes unclear which risks deserve attention first. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Risk Matrix and a Top Risk List.For complex user problems with an uncertain cause, the method connects observation, interpretation, and experiment into a learning cycle. It keeps the focus on real needs and avoids premature solution language. This produces robust decisions for product and service.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
LowHighMedium
Timedifferent
30-60 min1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen45-120 min
Participantsdifferent
3-104-102-8
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Risk Matrix, Top Risk ListProblem Statement, Prototype, Test LearningsTrade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides
Tagsno overlap
RiskDecisionPrioritizationAssessment
InnovationPrototypeResearch
TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions
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Often compared together

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 of an assumption matrix with prioritized test cards
Decision Making
Assumption Surfacing
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Constraint Analysis.
Decision Making
Constraint Analysis