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Criterion
Paper illustration of Futures Wheel with its method-specific working model.
Systems Thinking
Futures Wheel
Paper illustration for Contextual Inquiry.
UX Research
Contextual Inquiry
Paper illustration for 8D Problem Solving.
Operations
8D Problem Solving
Paper illustration for Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Operations
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
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 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.For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly.For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability.
Complexitydifferent
MediumMediumHighHigh
Timedifferent
60-120 min1-3 Wochen1-6 Wochen2-6 h
Participantsdifferent
3-104-12 Beobachtungen4-103-10
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Futures Wheel, Consequence Chains, Strategic SignalsField Notes, Workflow Insights, Pain Points8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action PlanFMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions
Tagsno overlap
ForesightSystems thinkingSignals
UX researchObservationContext
QualityProblem solvingRoot cause
RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause
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