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Criterion
Design sheets and interface cards connect to jointly written pseudocode with highlighted unresolved questions.
Architecture
ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)
Paper illustration for Soft Systems Methodology.
Systems Thinking
Soft Systems Methodology
Paper illustration of Leverage Points with its method-specific working model.
Systems Thinking
Leverage Points
Paper illustration for Cynefin Workshop.
Decision Making
Cynefin Workshop
Purposedifferent
ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification.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.Leverage Points show exactly where interventions in a system produce a disproportionate effect. It draws relationships, patterns, and feedback loops. The result is captured as a leverage map and action strategy.When problems are unclear, chaotic, or only seemingly familiar, standard recipes fall short. A Cynefin Workshop sorts situations by the nature of their problem and connects them with matching action logic.
Complexitydifferent
MediumHighHighMedium
Timedifferent
2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional0.5-3 TageHalf day60-180 min
Participantsdifferent
Designers, developers as users, and facilitation5-153-124-20
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisionsRich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change AgendaLeverage Map, Action StrategyCynefin Map, Domain-specific Actions, Sensemaking Notes
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks
Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking
Systems thinkingChangeStrategy
ComplexitySensemakingDecision
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