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Criterion
Paper illustration of Futures Wheel with its method-specific working model.
Systems Thinking
Futures Wheel
Paper illustration for Bottleneck Analysis.
Operations
Bottleneck Analysis
Process Mapping method illustration showing its working structure
Operations
Process Mapping
Purposedifferent
The Futures Wheel helps explore the consequences of a decision, a trend, or a strategic move in a structured way. It makes visible which first, second, and third-order effects could arise from an event.For a flow that backs up at one point, the method looks for the capacity limit with the greatest leverage. It explains why extra effort elsewhere barely improves throughput.With a confusing workflow that has many handoffs, the method makes the actual process visible. It shows where work is passed on, delayed, or duplicated, so improvement targets the right spots.
Complexitysame
MediumMediumMedium
Timedifferent
60-120 min1-3 h1-3 h
Participantsdifferent
3-103-83-10
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Futures Wheel, Consequence Chains, Strategic SignalsBottleneck Map, Flow Metrics, Improvement Options, Follow-up MeasuresProcess Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog
Tagsno overlap
ForesightSystems thinkingSignals
FlowMeasurementConstraints
ProcessOperationsImprovement
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration for Theory of Constraints.
Operations
Theory of Constraints
Paper illustration of a review with planned work, actual event sequence, comparison, and assigned improvement actions.
Operations
After-Action Review
Paper illustration for Current Reality Tree
Systems Thinking
Current Reality Tree
Gemba Walk workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Operations
Gemba Walk