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| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |  Decision Making Pre-Mortem |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  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. | 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. | 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 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 | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 20–45 min | 30-90 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Small cross-functional group | 2-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | Risk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption log | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | RiskDecisionFailurePlanning | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |