View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |  Decision Making Trade-off Analysis |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Facilitation Six Thinking Hats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 45-120 min | 1-2 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 4-12 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | Trade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Perspective Notes, Decision Inputs, Action Items |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisOptions | TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | FacilitationOptionsDecision |