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| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  Decision Making Pre-Mortem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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 | Medium | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 30-90 min | 2-6 h | 20–45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-8 | 3-10 | Small cross-functional group |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Risk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption log |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | RiskDecisionFailurePlanning |