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Criterion
Paper illustration for Future Reality Tree.
Systems Thinking
Future Reality Tree
Paper illustration for Contextual Inquiry.
UX Research
Contextual Inquiry
Systems Mapping method illustration showing its working structure
Systems Thinking
Systems Mapping
Purposedifferent
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.When work processes are known only from accounts and the real context stays hidden, Contextual Inquiry makes behavior at the workplace visible. Observation and follow-up questions together show how people actually work, get interrupted, and improvise.Systems Mapping arranges elements, relationships, and boundaries so a complex field becomes legible at a glance. The overview stabilizes the overall picture before detail work or steering begins.
Complexitydifferent
HighMediumMedium
Timedifferent
2-4 h1-3 Wochen1-3 h
Participantsdifferent
3-84-12 Beobachtungen3-12
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Future Reality Tree, Negative Branches, Assumption List, Improved InjectionsField Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain PointsSystem Map, Dependencies, Leverage Points
Tagsno overlap
Theory of ConstraintsSystems thinkingChange
UX researchObservationContext
Systems thinkingMappingBoundariesChange
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Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration for Domain Context Map
Domain Modeling
Domain Context Map
Paper illustration for Evaporating Cloud.
Systems Thinking
Evaporating Cloud
Paper illustration for Intervention Mapping.
Systems Thinking
Intervention Mapping
Paper illustration of Leverage Points with its method-specific working model.
Systems Thinking
Leverage Points