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| Criterion |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |  Operations Fault Tree Analysis |  Business Strategy GAP Analysis |  Decision Making Constraint 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 critical top event with several possible triggers, the method logically models failure paths. It makes visible which combinations of conditions can lead to damage. | GAP Analysis compares the current state with a target picture and makes the distance manageable. It becomes useful when, ahead of new initiatives, it must become clear which capabilities, processes, or resources are missing. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 2-6 h | 1-3 h | 30-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 3-8 | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | Fault Tree, Critical Paths, Cause Hypotheses, Control Actions | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisOptions | RiskRoot causeSafety | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions |