View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion | ![]() Operations Kepner-Tregoe | ![]() Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis | ![]() Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. | CATWOE structures a problem from six viewpoints and prevents too narrow a view of the situation. Different experiences of the system become comparably discussable this way. | 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 | High | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 2-8 h | 45-90 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-8 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality |
Often compared together
Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.






