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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | 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. | A Current Reality Tree condenses many symptoms into a few causal chains. The method makes visible which core problems drive several negative effects at once. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 2-6 h | 1-2 h | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 3-10 | 4-12 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality |