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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Facilitation Problem Framing Workshop |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | When a team works on symptoms but the real question stays fuzzy, a Problem Framing Workshop sharpens the view of the right problem. It separates observation, interpretation, and target picture from each other. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 45-90 min | 60-120 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-8 | 4-10 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Problem Statement, Scope Boundaries, Assumption List, Next Analysis Questions | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | FacilitationAlignmentDiscovery | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |