View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |  Systems Thinking Rich Picture |
|---|---|---|---|
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 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 | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 30-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 2-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | Rich Picture, Problem Framing Notes |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization |
Often compared together
Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.
