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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Evaporating Cloud |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Innovation Brainstorming |  Facilitation Consensus Workshop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The method makes visible why two seemingly incompatible demands arise and which assumption must be tested to resolve the conflict. | 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. | When a team faces an open question with many obvious directions, the method first creates breadth instead of premature commitment. It separates idea flow from evaluation and makes lines of thought visible, creating a pool for selection and further development. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 60-120 min | 1-2 h | 30-60 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 4-12 | 4-12 | 5-30 |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Conflict Cloud, Assumption List, Breakthrough Ideas, Next Experiments | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Idea pool, Theme clusters, Shortlist | Consensus Clusters, Theme Titles, Priority Areas |
Tagsno overlap | Theory of ConstraintsAssumptionsSystems thinking | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityWorkshopDivergence | FacilitationConsensusWorkshopAlignment |