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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Futures Wheel |  Systems Thinking Polarity Mapping |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  Facilitation Alignment 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. | Polarity Mapping makes tensions between two opposing poles tangible, such as standardization and adaptation or control and autonomy. The method guards against making apparent either-or decisions prematurely. | CATWOE structures a problem from six viewpoints and prevents too narrow a view of the situation. Different experiences of the system become comparably discussable this way. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. |
Complexitysame | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 60-120 min | 1-2 h | 45-90 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 3-12 | 3-8 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Futures Wheel, Consequence Chains, Strategic Signals | Polarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance Actions | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ForesightSystems thinkingSignals | Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |