View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Iceberg Model |  Systems Thinking Rich Picture |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The Iceberg Model separates visible events from patterns, structures, and mental models. This turns a single observation into a deeper understanding of why a problem keeps recurring. | A Rich Picture brings an unclear situation onto a shared drawing. It captures actors, tensions, information flows, and blind spots before the team jumps to solutions too early. | 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 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 | Low | Low | High | High |
Timedifferent | 30-60 min | 30-90 min | 2-6 h | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-10 | 2-10 | 3-10 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Iceberg Worksheet, Pattern Notes, Intervention Ideas | Rich Picture, Problem Framing Notes | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingRoot causePatterns | Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality |