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Criterion
Paper illustration of Futures Wheel with its method-specific working model.
Systems Thinking
Futures Wheel
Paper illustration for Constraint Analysis.
Decision Making
Constraint Analysis
Paper illustration for Current Reality Tree
Systems Thinking
Current Reality Tree
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.When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped.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.
Complexitydifferent
MediumLowHigh
Timedifferent
60-120 min30-90 min2-6 h
Participantsdifferent
3-102-83-8
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Futures Wheel, Consequence Chains, Strategic SignalsConstraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision BoundariesCurrent Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas
Tagsno overlap
ForesightSystems thinkingSignals
ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions
Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration for Theory of Constraints Thinking Process.
Systems Thinking
Theory of Constraints Thinking Process
Paper illustration for Causal Factor Analysis.
Operations
Causal Factor Analysis
Causal Loop Diagram workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Systems Thinking
Causal Loop Diagram
Decision Tree method illustration showing its working structure
Decision Making
Decision Tree