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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Futures Wheel |  Operations Visual Management |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Operations Process 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. | With high tempo and many parallel topics, the method makes status, deviations, and priorities visible at a glance. It reduces search effort and prevents what matters from getting lost in daily work. | When there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions. | With a confusing workflow that has many handoffs, the method makes the actual process visible. It shows where work is passed on, delayed, or duplicated, so improvement targets the right spots. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 60-120 min | Ongoing | 30-120 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 1-20 | 2-6 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Futures Wheel, Consequence Chains, Strategic Signals | Visual Board, Status Indicators, Exception Cues | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | ForesightSystems thinkingSignals | SignalsOperationsVisual management | LeanObservationProcessOperations | ProcessOperationsImprovement |