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| Criterion | ![]() Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis | ![]() Facilitation Alignment Mapping | ![]() Operations Family Tree Analysis | ![]() Systems Thinking Iceberg Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | CATWOE structures a problem from six viewpoints and prevents too narrow a view of the situation. Different experiences of the system become comparably discussable this way. | 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. | For a series of incidents with a similar pattern, the method arranges individual events as branches of a common origin. It makes visible which conditions keep recurring. | The Iceberg Model separates visible events from patterns, structures, and mental models. This turns a single observation into a deeper understanding of why a problem keeps recurring. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 1-2 h | 2-4 h | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 4-12 | 2-6 | 2-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Family Tree Diagram, Pattern Notes, Systemic Measures | Iceberg Worksheet, Pattern Notes, Intervention Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | Root causePatternsIncidentSystemic | Systems thinkingRoot causePatterns |



