methodatlas
Compare

View methods side by side.

Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.

Criterion
Paper illustration for CATWOE Analysis.
Systems Thinking
CATWOE Analysis
Design sheets and interface cards connect to jointly written pseudocode with highlighted unresolved questions.
Architecture
ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)
Paper illustration for Behavior Over Time Graph.
Systems Thinking
Behavior Over Time Graph
Stock and Flow Diagram method illustration showing its working structure
Systems Thinking
Stock and Flow Diagram
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.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.A Behavior Over Time Graph shows how a metric or observation develops over time. The method makes trends, breaks, and recurring patterns visible that get lost in snapshots.A Stock and Flow Diagram shows how stocks, inflows, and outflows shape a system over time. It is especially suited when growth, delays, or capacity limits determine the dynamics.
Complexitydifferent
MediumMediumLowHigh
Timedifferent
45-90 min2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional20-45 min2-6 h
Participantsdifferent
3-8Designers, developers as users, and facilitation1-101-6
Formatsame
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, ConstraintsPrioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisionsBehavior Over Time Graph, Trend Hypotheses, Key EventsStock and Flow Model, Dynamics Notes, Simulation Hypotheses
Tagsno overlap
Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders
ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks
Systems thinkingPatternsDynamics
DynamicsSimulationFeedbackSystems thinking
Add more methods