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| Criterion |  Facilitation Mind Mapping |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Innovation Brainwriting |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | When loud voices or hierarchy distort the idea search, the method creates a quiet entry into joint development. It gives everyone thinking space and gathers contributions without social brakes, making diversity more visible and easier to build on. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 2-6 h | 15-30 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 3-8 | 3-12 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Mind Map, Topic Clusters, Open Questions | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Idea sheets, Expanded concepts, Prioritized list | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions |
Tagsno overlap | BrainstormingIdeasMappingStructureFacilitation | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | BrainstormingCollaborationInclusionIdeas | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline |