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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Evaporating Cloud |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Systems Thinking Future Reality Tree |  Operations Barrier Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The method makes visible why two seemingly incompatible demands arise and which assumption must be tested to resolve the conflict. | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | A Future Reality Tree shows how desired actions are meant to lead to a better system state. The method checks whether a path of change holds together logically before time flows into implementation. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 60-120 min | 2-6 h | 2-4 h | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-10 | 3-8 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Conflict Cloud, Assumption List, Breakthrough Ideas, Next Experiments | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Future Reality Tree, Negative Branches, Assumption List, Improved Injections | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | Theory of ConstraintsAssumptionsSystems thinking | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Theory of ConstraintsSystems thinkingChange | Root causeSafetyIncident |