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| Criterion | ![]() Facilitation Dot Voting | ![]() Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram | ![]() Facilitation Consensus Workshop | ![]() Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a workshop has produced too many options and the group needs to condense quickly, dot voting makes preferences visible in a short time. It bundles individual votes into a solid signal for the next selection. | 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 a group needs a solid decision without outvoting individual factions, a Consensus Workshop creates a negotiable common ground. It makes agreement, reservations, and open tensions discussable at the same time. | 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 | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 5-15 min | 1-3 h | 1-3 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 | 2-8 | 5-30 | 4-12 |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Ranked list, Consensus signal, Shortlist | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points | Consensus Clusters, Theme Titles, Priority Areas | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | FacilitationVotingConsensusPrioritization | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics | FacilitationConsensusWorkshopAlignment | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |



