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Criterion
Paper illustration of Futures Wheel with its method-specific working model.
Systems Thinking
Futures Wheel
Paper illustration for Causal Factor Analysis.
Operations
Causal Factor Analysis
Paper illustration for Argument Mapping
Decision Making
Argument 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 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.When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on.
Complexitydifferent
MediumHighMedium
Timedifferent
60-120 min2-6 h1-3 h
Participantsdifferent
3-103-101-8
Formatsame
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Futures Wheel, Consequence Chains, Strategic SignalsEvent Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective ActionsArgument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale
Tagsno overlap
ForesightSystems thinkingSignals
CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline
SensemakingDecisionRationale
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration for Current Reality Tree
Systems Thinking
Current Reality Tree
Paper illustration of Barrier Analysis with its method-specific working model.
Operations
Barrier Analysis
Causal Loop Diagram workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Systems Thinking
Causal Loop Diagram