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| Criterion |  Business Strategy GAP Analysis |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | GAP Analysis compares the current state with a target picture and makes the distance manageable. It becomes useful when, ahead of new initiatives, it must become clear which capabilities, processes, or resources are missing. | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | A Causal Loop Diagram makes feedback, reinforcement, and balance in a system legible. It uncovers side effects and self-reinforcement that stay hidden in linear explanations. | A Current Reality Tree condenses many symptoms into a few causal chains. The method makes visible which core problems drive several negative effects at once. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 2-6 h | 1-3 h | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-10 | 2-8 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality |