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| Criterion |  Operations After-Action Review |  Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology |  Operations Process Mapping |  Systems Thinking Rich Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | After missions or project phases with unclear outcomes, the method makes visible what actually happened and what can be learned from it. It separates course, effect, and causes so experience turns into solid improvement. | Soft Systems Methodology helps explore unclear or politically charged problems systematically. Instead of forcing a quick answer, the method builds a shared understanding of perspectives and room for action. | With a confusing workflow that has many handoffs, the method makes the actual process visible. It shows where work is passed on, delayed, or duplicated, so improvement targets the right spots. | A Rich Picture brings an unclear situation onto a shared drawing. It captures actors, tensions, information flows, and blind spots before the team jumps to solutions too early. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 0.5-3 Tage | 1-3 h | 30-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 5-15 | 3-10 | 2-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Rich Picture, Problem Framing Notes |
Tagsno overlap | LearningOperationsImprovement | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | ProcessOperationsImprovement | Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization |