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| Criterion |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. | 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. | 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 | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-60 min | 2-6 h | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-8 | 2-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeQualityOperations | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics |
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