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 | ![]() Decision Making Option Framing | ![]() Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree | ![]() 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. | In early decisions, alternatives are often still vague, incomplete, or blended together. Option Framing brings every possibility into a comparable form and makes visible which variant actually fits the question. | 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 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 | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 45-120 min | 2-6 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 3-8 | 3-8 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Option Frames, Assumption Notes, Comparable Shortlist, Decision Inputs | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | OptionsDecision framingStrategyComparison | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |



