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Criterion
Paper illustration for CATWOE Analysis.
Systems Thinking
CATWOE Analysis
Paper illustration for Current Reality Tree
Systems Thinking
Current Reality Tree
Paper illustration of a decision table with criteria rows, weighted ratings, and a narrowly leading alternative.
Decision Making
Decision Matrix
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.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.When several options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared logic.
Complexitydifferent
MediumHighMedium
Timedifferent
45-90 min2-6 h45-90 min
Participantsdifferent
3-83-82-8
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, ConstraintsCurrent Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention IdeasDecision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected Option
Tagsno overlap
Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders
Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality
DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration for Theory of Constraints Thinking Process.
Systems Thinking
Theory of Constraints Thinking Process
Paper illustration for Trade-off Analysis.
Decision Making
Trade-off Analysis
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Causal Factor Analysis.
Operations
Causal Factor Analysis