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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Systems Thinking Iceberg Model |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Systems Thinking Behavior Over Time Graph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | The Iceberg Model separates visible events from patterns, structures, and mental models. This turns a single observation into a deeper understanding of why a problem keeps recurring. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | A Behavior Over Time Graph shows how a metric or observation develops over time. The method makes trends, breaks, and recurring patterns visible that get lost in snapshots. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 30-60 min | 45-90 min | 20-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-10 | 2-8 | 1-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Iceberg Worksheet, Pattern Notes, Intervention Ideas | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Behavior Over Time Graph, Trend Hypotheses, Key Events |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | Systems thinkingRoot causePatterns | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | Systems thinkingPatternsDynamics |