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| Criterion | ![]() Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis | ![]() Decision Making Constraint Analysis | ![]() Decision Making Argument Mapping | ![]() Decision Making Decision 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. | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on. | For decisions with follow-on paths and dependencies, a linear comparison is often not enough. A Decision Tree shows how options branch under conditions and which consequences hang on each branch. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 30-90 min | 1-3 h | 30-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-8 | 1-8 | 1-6 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | SensemakingDecisionRationale | DecisionTreeOptions |



