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Criterion
Causal Loop Diagram workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Systems Thinking
Causal Loop Diagram
Four paper stations connect system purpose, quality goals, risk cards and focused investigation with a target and gap profile.
Architecture
LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)
Paper illustration of System Dynamics Simulation with its method-specific working model.
Systems Thinking
System Dynamics Simulation
Design sheets and interface cards connect to jointly written pseudocode with highlighted unresolved questions.
Architecture
ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)
Purposedifferent
A Causal Loop Diagram makes feedback, reinforcement, and balance in a system legible. It uncovers side effects and self-reinforcement that stay hidden in linear explanations.LASR helps development teams identify where their software falls short of important quality goals and which improvements to consider. A small group with existing system knowledge can make an initial assessment and investigate open questions in more detail.System Dynamics Simulation makes assumptions about time, delay, and feedback testable through experiments. It draws relationships, patterns, and feedback loops. The result is captured as a simulation model and scenario reports.ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification.
Complexitydifferent
MediumMediumHighMedium
Timedifferent
1-3 h3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additionalMehrere Tage bis Wochen2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional
Participantsdifferent
2-81 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people1-5 Modellierende, Stakeholder asynchronDesigners, developers as users, and facilitation
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncAsyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage PointsLean Mission Statement describing the software’s purpose, Prioritized quality goals and evaluation criteria, Risks and estimated gaps against quality goals, More closely examined findings and open checksSimulation Model, Scenario ReportsPrioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions
Tagsno overlap
FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics
ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean
Systems thinkingDynamicsSimulationAnalysis
ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks
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