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| Criterion |  Facilitation Dot Estimation |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Operations 5 Whys |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When size or effort can only be estimated roughly, Dot Estimation condenses the group's experience into a quick range. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as an Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, and Discussion Targets. | When an initiative depends on many people, interests, and power dynamics, Stakeholder Mapping systematically orders the environment. It shows who influences, who is affected, and where relationship management or safeguarding matters first. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 5-20 min | 60–90 min | 15-30 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 | 2-8 | 2-6 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, Discussion Targets | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | EstimationEffortRisk | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |