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| Criterion |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |  Operations Barrier Analysis |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The TOWS Matrix connects internal strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats into action-oriented strategies. It goes a step further than a pure stocktaking. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 2-4 h | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-6 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisOptions | Root causeSafetyIncident | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality |
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