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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |  Decision Making Constraint 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. | For decisions with follow-on paths and dependencies, a linear comparison is often not enough. A Decision Tree shows how options branch under conditions and which consequences hang on each branch. | 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. | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 30-90 min | 1-3 h | 30-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 1-6 | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | DecisionTreeOptions | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions |