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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Innovation Design Charrette |  Innovation Lotus Blossom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | In a tightly timed design process with many participants, the method pools several lines of thinking in a short time. It brings parallel design energy without letting the discussion tip into endless coordination. This quickly produces solid directions for architecture or space. | When a central question feels too large, the method breaks it into neighboring topic fields with their own depth of ideation. It holds structure and openness at the same time, so adjacent perspectives don't get lost. This grows an idea space out of a core problem. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 2-6 h | Halber Tag bis mehrere Tage | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 3-10 | 10-50 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Sketches and Concepts, Consolidated Solution Sketch, Prioritized Direction | Lotus Diagram, Idea Themes, Shortlist |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | BrainstormingWorkshopCollaborationIdeation | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityDivergenceWorkshop |