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| Criterion |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Facilitation Expectation Mapping |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 an initiative depends on many people, interests, and power dynamics, Stakeholder Mapping systematically orders the environment. It shows who influences, who is affected, and where relationship management or safeguarding matters first. | When roles, interfaces, or projects fail because of differing expectations, Expectation Mapping surfaces these differences. It shows what each side takes for granted and where the pictures diverge. | 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 | High | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 60–90 min | 45-90 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 3-12 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | Expectation Map, Alignment Notes, Agreements | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | AlignmentStakeholdersTeam | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |