View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Facilitation Six Thinking Hats |  Operations ALPEN Method |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Decision Making Pre-Mortem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a topic gets stuck too quickly in the same thinking mode, Six Thinking Hats deliberately separates the perspectives. This means facts, risks, creativity, and emotional signals get worked through one after another instead of mixed together. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | 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 | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 10-20 min daily | 45-90 min | 20–45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-12 | 1 | 2-8 | Small cross-functional group |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Perspective Notes, Decision Inputs, Action Items | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Risk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption log |
Tagsno overlap | FacilitationOptionsDecision | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | RiskDecisionFailurePlanning |