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| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a problem with several suspected causes, the method builds a causal structure instead of a mere list. It makes visible how causes connect and where the strongest points of leverage lie. | 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. | For decisions with follow-on paths and dependencies, a linear comparison is often not enough. A Decision Tree shows how options branch under conditions and which consequences hang on each branch. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 30-90 min | 30-90 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-8 | 1-6 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | DecisionTreeOptions | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |