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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Futures Wheel |  Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |  Agile Affinity Estimation |  Systems Thinking Stock and Flow Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | When many tasks need to be classified quickly, it sorts them by perceived effort and similarity. It reduces the effort of fine-grained estimation for large volumes. | A Stock and Flow Diagram shows how stocks, inflows, and outflows shape a system over time. It is especially suited when growth, delays, or capacity limits determine the dynamics. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 60-120 min | 1-3 h | 30-90 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 3-12 | 1-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Futures Wheel, Consequence Chains, Strategic Signals | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points | Affinity Size Map, Grouped Estimates, Unclear Items | Stock and Flow Model, Dynamics Notes, Simulation Hypotheses |
Tagsno overlap | ForesightSystems thinkingSignals | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics | EstimationBacklogRelative sizing | DynamicsSimulationFeedbackSystems thinking |