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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Futures Wheel |  Facilitation 3-Circle Venn Diagram |  Operations ALPEN Method |  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. | When three perspectives matter at the same time, a Three-Circle Venn Diagram shows the overlaps and remainders precisely. It makes visible where shared effect arises and where only a partial perspective applies. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 60-120 min | 15-45 min | 10-20 min daily | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 1 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Futures Wheel, Consequence Chains, Strategic Signals | Venn Diagram, Overlap Notes, Differentiators | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ForesightSystems thinkingSignals | ComparisonFacilitationAlignment | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |