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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Operations 5 Whys |  Decision Making Force Field Analysis |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. | In change initiatives, supporting and restraining forces sit at the table at the same time. Force Field Analysis makes these tensions explicit and shows where change can be pushed forward by strengthening or relieving. | For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 15-30 min | 45-90 min | 2-8 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-6 | 3-12 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Force Field Map, Change Levers, Risk Notes | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | ChangeDecisionStrategy | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations |