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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Futures Wheel |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Agile Example Mapping |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. | When a story carries business rules and exceptions, it brings clarity before implementation. It makes examples, open questions, and boundaries visible enough that the logic becomes jointly sound. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 60-120 min | 1-4 h | 30-60 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 3-8 | 3-7 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Futures Wheel, Consequence Chains, Strategic Signals | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Example Map, Acceptance Criteria, Open Questions | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | ForesightSystems thinkingSignals | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | Behavior-Driven DevelopmentRequirementsExamplesRefinement | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |