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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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 research notes, feedback, or observations sit unconnected side by side, affinity diagramming sorts the raw material into solid themes. Many individual points turn into patterns that make decisions and opportunities clearer. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 2-6 h | 45–90 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 3-10 | 3-10 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tags1 shared | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |