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| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |  Decision Making Pre-Mortem |  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. | 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. | 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 | 20–45 min | 30-90 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Small cross-functional group | 1-6 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | Risk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption log | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | RiskDecisionFailurePlanning | DecisionTreeOptions | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |