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| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |  Decision Making Trade-off Analysis |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |  Decision Making Decision Matrix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. | When several options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared logic. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 45-120 min | 2-6 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-8 | 3-10 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | Trade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions | Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected Option |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause | DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs |