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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Decision Making Risk Matrix |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When a project faces many possible disruptions, it quickly becomes unclear which risks deserve attention first. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Risk Matrix and a Top Risk List. | 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 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 30-60 min | 45-90 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 3-10 | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Risk Matrix, Top Risk List | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | RiskDecisionPrioritizationAssessment | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics |