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| Criterion |  Engineering Goal Question Metric |  Systems Thinking Future Reality Tree |  Product Strategy Counter Metrics |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Helps clarify technical problems, hypotheses, and next steps in concrete terms. It breaks a technical problem into testable parts. The result is captured as a GQM table and metric briefs. | A Future Reality Tree shows how desired actions are meant to lead to a better system state. The method checks whether a path of change holds together logically before time flows into implementation. | When a headline metric could mask side effects, it adds guardrail signals against unwanted outcomes. It connects customer value, product logic, and decision priorities. The result is captured as a counter-metric list and guardrail definitions. | 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 | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 90-180 min | 2-4 h | 30-60 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-6 | 3-8 | 2-6 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | GQM Table, Metric Profiles | Future Reality Tree, Negative Branches, Assumption List, Improved Injections | Counter Metric List, Guardrail Definitions | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | MetricsMeasurementEngineeringAlignment | Theory of ConstraintsSystems thinkingChange | MetricsMeasurementStrategyExperiments | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |