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| Criterion |  Facilitation Mind Mapping |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  Systems Thinking Systems Mapping |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a topic is still unclear and too many thoughts surface at once, Mind Mapping creates an open surface for ordering them. It makes connections, subtopics, and starting points visible without fixing them too early. | 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. | Systems Mapping arranges elements, relationships, and boundaries so a complex field becomes legible at a glance. The overview stabilizes the overall picture before detail work or steering begins. | 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 | Low | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 45-90 min | 1-3 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 3-8 | 3-12 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Mind Map, Topic Clusters, Open Questions | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | System Map, Dependencies, Leverage Points | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | BrainstormingIdeasMappingStructureFacilitation | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | Systems thinkingMappingBoundariesChange | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |