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| Criterion | ![]() Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree | ![]() Knowledge Modeling Concept Mapping | ![]() Operations Causal Factor Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | Concept Mapping arranges terms and relationships in a network that makes subject-matter connections tangible. It fits when a topic needs to be understood structurally rather than linearly. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 1-2 h | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 1-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Concept Map, Relationship Labels, Knowledge Gaps | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | KnowledgeConceptsMappingSensemaking | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline |
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