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| Criterion |  Innovation How Might We |  Systems Thinking Polarity Mapping |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | With a stuck problem carrying many implicit assumptions, the method translates observations into open, workable questions. It sharpens the problem frame without pre-thinking the solution, turning frustration or fuzziness into a search space with clear direction. | Polarity Mapping makes tensions between two opposing poles tangible, such as standardization and adaptation or control and autonomy. The method guards against making apparent either-or decisions prematurely. | When a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 30–45 min | 1-2 h | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 3-12 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea Prompts | Polarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance Actions | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions | Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership | Root causeQualityOperations |
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